Blue Fairy
by BlueRoseLight
Summary: After Rose passes away from illness John, stricken with grief, blames it on his father's absence and resents him. Unable to cope, Raiden leaves and wanders without a purpose. Later he is found and helped by a mysterious girl who isn't all she seems to be. She helps and restores him to his former glory and might even be able to make Raiden a real man again.
1. Hello

Due to some trouble I had caused I'm deleting and rewriting the first two chapters of my story. I apologize to everyone who was affected by my mistakes and I'm currently trying right any wrongs I had caused.

In regards to my OC, she is 100% mine. I did not steal any characters and just rename them. My OC in this story is completely of my own creation.

Please enjoy this new version of 'Blue Fairy'. I feel terrible for what I did and regret it and I hope I am forgiven in the future for the mistakes I made. Thank you.

Summary: . Some time after the events of MGR: Revengance Rose tragically passes away from illness. Stricken with grief John blames it on his father and resents him. Unable to deal with the loss of his family, Raiden goes off radar and wanders around with no purpose. Later he is found and helped by a mysterious girl who isn't all she seems to be. She helps and restores him to his former glory and might even be able to make Raiden a real man again.

Disclaimer: I don't own any cannon or existing characters. My original character is the only one I own.

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"I hate you! I never want to see you again!"

John continued to yell in his father's face as Raiden just stood there and took it. Hearing these things from his own son shattered his heart. And so soon after Rose had passed away. He was told it was just the flu. At least what she had had flu like symptoms she seemed fine one day then the next she was withering away. Raiden couldn't even bring himself to remember the name of the disease that took his beloved wife away. At the very very least she was no longer suffering.

But John's harsh words pierced him straight through his core.

"Its because you're never around! Maybe if you had been here more often she would have gotten better or not sick at all. She was sad and depressed whenever you were gone maybe if you had been here then she would be too!"

Raiden remained silent. He had nothing to say. John was right. Of course he was right. He was gone too often on missions that kept him away for weeks at a time. He was a terrible father, and a terrible husband. He had promised he would never abandon them, but that was a lie. He broke that promise and now he was paying the ultimate price for it.

John went on with his tantrum, getting in his face, screaming at the top of his lungs, sobbing whenever he took a breath. Raiden was never good when it came to comforting others. It was always him being comforted. So he could do nothing more than stand there and let his son take out all his frustration and grief on him. John even went as far as to hit him, banging on his metal chest and trying to punch him in the face. Raiden's expression didn't change. He couldn't blame John for his behavior. This young man just lost his mother how else is he supposed to react? Raiden just let him continue.

"Go. Just leave..." John said wiping his eyes on his sleeve, "I want you out of my life. I don't want to see you, or your freak cyborg face again."

There was nothing left for him after that. He had nothing. Rose was gone, little John hated him. Well he wasn't so little anymore. He would be going off tO college soon and he no longer wanted Raiden to be a part of his life. Rose and John were the only reasons he had left for fighting. But with Rose's passing and John's resentment... He had nothing. He was nothing.

So he left. Wandering in the stupid black trench coat that did little to hide his appearance. He had asked Sunny to cut off all his communications. And distort any frequencies on his Codec. He didn't want to talk to anyone anymore. No one would know where he was going and no one would care after a while. Off the grid. That's exactly what he wanted.

He gave one last subtle goodbye to everyone. They gave odd looks but never questioned it too far. But little did they know that would be the last time they saw him.

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He didn't know how long he had been wandering. And he didn't care. The passage of time didn't seem i affect him. But he seemed to be growing weaker each day. He would constantly get stared at in public. Passers by gave him glances and whispers like he was some kind of freak show. He had passed through countless cities and towns but never stayed longer than a day. At this point he didn't even know where he was. He didn't bother looking at the signs or asking directions he just tried his best to blend in with the other people and keep out of sight as much as possible.

He just wandered. Looking for a purpose.

Days, months, and seasons passed he could feel his body becoming heavier and weaker by the day. He was tired, depressed, and didn't want to continue. He disnt want to fight anymore. He just wanted to quit.

Raiden somehow found himself resting on a lonely park bench. It had been raining but he didn't care, and as the rain came down heavier and faster the more people began to disperse and seek shelter, leaving him all alone.

He let his head hang forward and his eyes slide closed. His mind wandered to and fro. Thoughts of his family, his friends, his allies clouded his head, depressing him even more, it hurt his heart to think about it. He shook his head trying to ward off the saddening thoughts. He held his face in his clawed hands. He wanted to cry, or scream, he just wanted to express his anguish in any way possible. But he couldn't. He just felt numb all over.

Raiden could hear someone approaching. The sounds of splashing becoming louder as whoever it was drew nearer. He didn't raise his head though. Soon the footsteps stopped and he opened his eyes and looked down. He saw a pair of black and white sneakers standing in front of him.

"Hello," a feminine voice said.

His gaze followed up a pair of legs clad in a pair of navy blue jeans, to a torso in a black tank top and green jacket. Then up to a face. He was met with a pair of grayish blue eyes behind a pair of thick black glasses. Dark brown hair cascaded down from her head to her shoulders and disappeared behind her back. The girl held an umbrella over him shielding them both from the rain.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Th only response she got was a low grunt.

"Can I sit here?"

Raiden stayed still for a few moments before sliding to the side to provide space for the girl to sit. She took the seat and continued to hold the umbrella so both of them would fit underneath. She looked at him with a quizzical look but quickly turned her head away when he quickly glanced back and met her gaze. She sat there next to him for a good five minutes before breaking the silence

"Crappy weather, huh?"

No response.

"What are you doing out here withouy an umbrella?"

Nothing.

"Are you waiting for someone?"

Still nothing.

The girl puffed a sigh at the lack of response and crossed her legs awkwardly. She pondered whether she should continue to attempt small talk or leave the man be since he was clearly not in the mood to talk to anyone. She drummed her fingers against her leg and looked all over trying to avoid staring at him.

The girl looked at him one last time before speaking again.

"I'm Ellie... "

Nothing again.

"What's your name?"

Expecting no response once again the girl named Ellie almost jumped out of her skin when he actually answered.

"Raiden..." He said.

After recovering from the small sudden shock the girl spoke again.

"Hmm nice name. Is there any reason you're just sitting out here in the rain by yourself?"

"Not really..." He replied in a low gravely voice.

Ellie was quiet for a moment before asking a pretty personal question out of the blue.

"Do you have a home?..." She asked almost like a whisper. Like she regretted asking it the moment it escaped her lips.

Raiden turned his head and looked at her. He said nothing but continued to stare. Almost like he was trying to see something that wasn't there. This girl was young. Very young but clearly an adult so she would know better than to randomly talk to strangers. Especially strangers that looked like him. Thinking back to his family he remembered what John had said to him how he left the house and was told to never come back.

Raiden brought his head back down before answering her question. "No... Not anymore."

A sudden wave of sadness washed over Ellie's face. Her nervous smile melted into a saddened frown as she looked at her feet.

 _So he's all alone. And sitting in the middle of the pouring rain. It was freezing cold out too. He looked so sad and alone._ She thought.

"Do you need a place to stay?" Ellie asked. The words slipped out before she even had time to register them. She almost clamped a hand over her mouth but resisted the urge to make the gesture. She was told from a young age to be weary of strangers and to never invite them inside. But now she was clearly in the presence of someone in need and ignored her better judgement.

Raiden lifted his head and cocked an eyebrow at her not saying anything. Just staring at her with a dumbfounded expression.

"I have a spare bedroom at my place. I just... It wouldn't feel right to leave you out in the cold and rain..."

He remained silent but kept the confused expression on his face. Ellie gulped, embarrassed for asking such a question. What sane woman would just offer up her home to any random man on the street? Cold and wet or not.

"I don't need a place to stay... I'm used to it by now..." He said.

Ellie got the hint that he has been this way for a while. Alone, without a home or place to go back to. She wondered how many times he's spent the night in the cold and rain. Stranger or not Ellie was determined to help. Yes she had been told to beware of strangers but she was also taught to help those who are in need.

"Well then I insist," Ellie exclaimed rises from her seat. She stood in front of him and looked down at him with a determined look. She wasn't going to let him stay out all night in the cold. Even if he has in the past and was used to it. She couldn't bring herself to just let him sleep in the streets.

She suddenly grabbed his metal hand and dragged him. He didn't budge an inch but she kept pulling.

"Look I appreciate your efforts but I don't need any help. You don't have to burden yourself with me... I'm fine," Raiden said sullenly.

Ellie ignored him and continued to try to pry him off the bench. But failing miserably.

She grunted as she put all her strength in to pulling. She gave a sigh and said, "Well I'm not going to let you stay out all night in the cold and rain. Not when I have a warm room you could be staying in instead."

Clearly this girl wasn't going to give up. She wasn't going to just leave him there. He gave an irritated look and watched her feeble attempts to pull him from the bench. It was odd though, his hand was clearly made of metal but she didn't comment on it or even seem to notice when she touched it. Like she had expected it to feel that way. She grunted as she pulled, trying to keep her grip on the umbrella and also put all her weight into pulling him up. He wanted to just yell at her to leave him alone. Or get up and leave but he knew she wouldn't let him. She would just follow him until he agreed.

Annoyed, Raiden stood up and let her drag him to a nearby parked vehicle. A black car that had been parked only a block from the area they were previously in. Ellie led him to the passenger side door and gestured for him to get inside. She closed the door for him and walked around the front to get into the driver side. She got in and started the engine. Once she started down the road ahead She looked at Raiden who leaned his head against the window and stared blankly ahead, before returning her gaze to the wet roadway. They both sat there awkwardly neither one saying anything to the other. After five minutes of quiet, Raiden surprisingly was the first one to break the silence.

"Do you often do this?" He asked.

"Do what?"

Ellie giggled at his comments and turned her attention back to the road again.

"No," she replied, "You're the only one. You just... Seemed so sad and lonely. I just couldn't leave you out there like that... It didn't feel right. Maybe it was just something about you I can't explain it."

"Well... I don't mean to sound like a serial killer, but you made a bad decision," he said.

"Well if you do decide to kill me, at least I died doing a good deed." She said with a confident smile gracing her features.

With that last comment the two drove off in complete silence.


	2. A place to stay

The drive was long and quiet. Really the only sounds heard was the rain on the windows and the purr of the engine. Or the occasional question from Ellie, that usually went unanswered. Raiden just stared out the window into nothing for most of the trip. Ellie gave him a few sideways glances, but would return her gaze to the road.

They had been driving for over twenty minutes. Large buildings seemed to disappear in the rear view mirror as the car sped away from the city. The road became more rural as the minutes ticked by. Until a house came into view. It was night by the time the car pulled into the ling driveway.

"You live really out of the way don't you?" Raiden said as the vehicle was put in park.

Ellie looked at him and just smiled. "I prefer the privacy. Don't have to worry about noisy neighbors or annoying anybody."

Ellie stepped out of the car after grabbing her umbrella from the back seat she walked over to the passenger side door and waited for Raiden to step out. She didn't want him to have to step out into the rain without cover. He sighed and opened the door and let Ellie hold the umbrella over their heads as she led him to the front door.

The house wasn't huge but definitely big for just one person. The house was painted a crisp white with a lot of windows. Two stories and a two car garage. Three steps leading to front porch where a big double doors stood. Tall narrow windows on either side of it. Across the street was a big empty field and beyond that was a thick dark forest. No one seemed to be around for miles. It was also quiet and secluded. Odd that a person who seemed so social as to walk up to a random stranger on the streets would live somewhere so lonely and isolated.

Raiden was brought out of his thoughts at the sound of a door being unlocked. Ellie opened one of the door as it seemed the other was fixed to the wall as decoration, and stepped into the house. She held the door open for him. He just stood on the porch looking into the house. But Ellie gave an encouraging gesture with her head silently inviting him in.

"Come on, you can trust me. Even if I try to hurt you, you're a big guy you can take me."

He stepped through the threshold into the long front hall. It was a nice place from what he could tell from his current spot. There was a staircase on the left wall and some rooms to the side of it. A banister went from wall to wall on the second floor making an open hallway. He peered around the stairs and saw a bunch of closed doors, probably somewhere he shouldn't go. To the right there was what looked like a fancy sitting room or large study, with book cases and a desk with a chair or two. To the left just before the stairs was a fancy dinning room connected to a big modern looking kitchen. Straight ahead there was a big living room. Most of the walls were big windows giving the room a more open feeling. And that was all he could see just from the front hall.

Ellie shook the rain off her umbrella and placed it on a rack next to the front door. She shrugged off her soaked green jacket and hung it up on a hook just above the rack. She turned to Raiden and looked at him staring around her home.

"Can I take your coat?" She asked timidly extending her hand.

"No... Its fine. Just show me where this extra room is." Raiden said clutching the trench coat closed tighter around his body. His metallic jaw had been covered the entire time and he didn't want to frighten Ellie by showing her his cyborg body. Though he wondered, she hasn't been fazed by his appearance so far.

"Alright... Follow me then," Ellie said starting up the stairs to the second floor.

Raiden followed Ellie through the house. She gave him a short tour, pointing out the bathrooms and her bedroom and her study. She stopped in front of a door that sat at the end of the hallway. She opened the door and stepped in.

"Here's your room." Ellie said extending her arms to show off the room like some kind of saleswoman.

The room was simple it wasn't over the top in any way or overly luxurious. A queen sized bed in the center, a dresser towards the corner, a desk near a window. a few pictures hanging on the wall, a simple dark blue carpet on the floor. It seemed nice enough.

"Well... If there is anything you need you can come find me." Ellie said as she began to exit the room, "are you hungry? Can I get you anything?"

"No... Im fine."

Raiden stood in the room and just let his eyes wander around. He didn't need to eat or drink with his cyborg body. He wasn't limited by basic human needs. But if he stayed for too long Ellie would notice something was up.

"Well... Okay then. If you want anything at all just come get me," Ellie said as she finally disappeared from the room and down the hallway.

Raiden checked the time. Around 10:30 pm. He walked to the bed and shrugged off his wet trench coat and hung it on the bed post. He felt weak and tired. He glanced at the bed. His metal body would crush that flimsy thing. But he needed to rest he felt he would collapse at any point if he didn't. He grabbed the comforter from off the bed and sat down against the wall beside it. He wadded up the blanket and placed it behind his neck. He let his head fall back, cushioned by the fabric and let his eyes slip closed. Whether sleep would find him tonight or not he didn't know. But he sure as hell hoped it would.

In the darkness of the bed room he would listen to the various sounds around him with heightened senses he could hear and pinpoint the different sounds throughout the house. The sound of light footsteps on the upper and lower floor, which he reasoned to be Ellie walking around. He heard a shower run and then shut off a while after, then he heard a door open and close and the house was silent again. Aside from the patter of rain drops on the windows and roof.

Raiden could feel a bit of tension leave his body. He should probably thank Ellie for all she's doing. She let him into her home and offered him shelter from the harsh weather outside. She offered him food, though he didn't require it, but the intention was still there. She gave him a room and a warm bed, though he couldn't use it without breaking it. She deserved at least a thank you.

But he should leave as soon as possible. He cant stay here forever. Hell, more than one night is too much. He should leave before she wakes up. But now he needed sleep. He let his mind focus on nothing and let his consciousness slip away.

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 _"Jack"_

 _"Huh"_

 _"Jack..."_

 _"Rose?"_

 _"Jack why did you abandon us? We love you"_

 _"I love you too"_

 _"Jack where are you?"_

 _The disembodied voice seemed to be fading as if leaving his vicinity._

 _"Rose... Rose wait... Don't leave me..."_

 _Suddenly from the darkness a figure approached him. Raiden rubbed his eyes in disbelief at the sight of his deceased wife in front of him. She looked as beautiful as ever._

 _"Rose..?"_

 _"I'm here, Jack," she said placing a warm hand on his cheek._

 _Raiden just gaped at the woman in front of him. Rose. His beloved Rose. She was here again. With him, in his arm. Right where she should be._

 _"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry," he said almost like a whisper._

 _"Don't be, Jack. This wasn't your fault you had nothing to do with this."_

 _"But I was gone... I-I left you... John hates me..."_

 _Rose cut him off, "hush... None of this is your fault. You do what you do because you have to. It wasn't. Your. Fault."_

 _Raiden just stood there in the empty void, silent. It was a long time before either if them spoke again. It was Rose to break the deafening silence._

 _"Jack, listen to me. I love you and I don't want to have to tell you this but you need to let go... This is going to eat away at you until you are nothing..."_

 _"I already am nothing."_

 _"Stop it... I don't want you to join me. I don't want to see you suffer for the rest of your life. You still have a bit of youth left in you... In fact with your body you'll have it for a very long time. Don't waste your life mourning, you have all the time in the world to make things right. Live your life, make amends with John if possible, maybe even meet someone else. I just want you to be happy... However possible."_

 _Raiden took in his wife's words and thought them over._

 _"I don't think I can be happy anymore. I barley sleep and the nights I do I have nightmares. People look at me like I'm a freak. I don't have a life. All I've ever known is bloodshed and violence. Killing is my nature. No one wants to deal with someone like that. I... I can't be happy, Rose."_

 _Rose looked at him with pity and sadness glazing over her eyes. Raiden looked like he was about to snap. He was holding so much back that he almost couldn't contain it. He was visibly shaking and his face scrunched up in both pain and dread._

 _"You can be, Jack. I know you can be happy. You have to go and find happiness. Wherever that may be. I don't care. I just can't watch you suffer."_

 _Raiden said nothing. Just allowed his wife to try and both comfort and motivate him. He took her hand in his and stared at it. The soft pink flesh against cold hard metal looked like something out of a horror movie._

 _"Jack... Promise me something."_

 _"What?"_

 _"Promise me you'll forget the past. Promise me you'll look to the future. Promise me you'll go out and find happiness. Promise me you'll live your life."_

 _With a shaky breath, Raiden looked into Rose's eyes._

 _"I promise..."_

 _Rose placed a kiss on his cheek and pulled away from the cyborg's embrace. The sudden absence of her warmth shocked him slightly. He watched her slowly walk away and dissipated into the darkness ahead. He reached out to her. He wanted to run but found his feet stuck in place. He was unable to do anything except reach and call out to her._

 _"Rose!... Rose wait! Come back!_ _Please don't leave me again! Please don't leave me alone! Rose!"_

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With a loud gasp Raiden shot forward sat in shock from his dream. He rubbed his clawed hands over his eyes and breathed heavily. Trying to make himself get over the shock of his dream.

 _'A dream...'_ He thought

With great effort he stood and braced himself on the bed frame. He glanced at the time.

5:45 am

Though not a great amount of sleep but it was good enough to rest him up just a bit. He went to grab his coat off the post but found his hand came up empty. He could of sworn that was where he hung it. He looked around the room. The dresser, the desk, under the bed, no where. He couldn't search the rest of the house in case he woke Ellie. And he couldn't have her see him in all his robotic, metal, crotchless glory. He needed his disguise but couldn't go search for it for fear of being seen.

He had to get it back. He was a ninja stealth was his specialty.

He turned the door knob and took a quick peek into the long dark hallway.

The whole place was still, not a single noise other than the storm outside. Raiden stepped into the hall, testing the floor boards for any creaks and sighed in relief when it came out silent. He quickly and quietly made his way to the end of the hall where the stairs met the second floor. He looked over the banister to the front hall and saw his trench coat hanging on the hook by the front door. Completely dry and neatly hung.

Before he started down the stairs he turned his head and looked towards the cracked open door not ten feet to his left. Curiosity got the better of him and he stealthily sneaked towards the opened door. He peeked in and saw a small form rising and falling slowly from the bed under the sheets. Ellie was sleeping peacefully unaware of Raiden standing in her cracked open doorway. He flinched away when he saw her roll over, expecting her to wake up, but she just unraveled her torso from the blankets. He watched her subconsciously grab a pillow and cuddle it before settling back down into the blankets. She seemed to be a heavy sleeper and would even notice him gone until later that morning.

Raiden stepped away from the door and continued down the stairs. Taking caution with each step as to not slam his weight on to the hard wood steps. He stood on his toes trying to keep his heeled feet from making any noise. He felt like some college student trying to sneak away from a night of drunken regrets. He could sneak through high security military facilities with impeccable stealth and speed but now he was struggling to get out of some girl's house as fast as he could without waking her.

He reached the bottom step before walking to the coat rack and picking up his black trench coat. He didn't even put it on, he just slung it over his shoulder and walked to the front door. He unlocked the front door and hesitated. He stared out into the dark rain. The sun had not yet come up and the only light was that coming from the porch lights. He sighed and almost took a step into the harsh rain before he stopped in his tracks.

"Raiden...wait," A feminine voice said from behind him.


	3. Android

Raiden stopped in his tracks in total shock. He felt a pair of eyes on the back of his head and quickly tried to hide himself in his coat. He was completely exposed, him and all his cyborg glory.

"Are you leaving?" Ellie asked hugging her rode closer to her body.

Raiden cursed under his breath and finished putting on his coat was about to start out the door again. There goes his plan for sneaking out without a trace. Some ninja he was. He continued to stare out the doorway unsure what to do.

Raiden gave an exasperated sigh and turned his head to the side. Before addressing Ellie.

"Look, I appreciate all you've done, or at least tried to do," he started, "But I just can't stay here."

"You won't make it very far you know. I can tell you're still very weak and if something were to happen to you, it probably wouldn't end well," she said.

Raiden glared at her and took another step out the door. She speed walked towards him before he was fully out the door. This woman was persistent. He could tell. She past him and stood before him. She crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground. She stared him straight in his face. To which he buried his nose deeper into the coat's tall collar to hide his fake jaw.

Ellie's dull blue eyes held a sympathetic glint. Her face fell from a determined scowl to an expression of empathy and almost sadness.

"You don't have to hide, Raiden. I know you're a cyborg." Ellie said.

He waited a moment his eyes widening in surprise. So that's why she didn't flinch at the touch of his hand and didn't persist after he denied any food. Even if he didn't have to hide it from her he still couldn't stay. But still, why would she just invite him into her home?

"You're not scared?" He asked.

"Of course not."

"You should be."

"Is that a threat?"

"Maybe..."

They continued their little back and forth for a few moments before Raiden grew even more annoyed.

"Raiden" Ellie said stepping forward pressuring him back through the threshold and closing the door behind her, "I'm not afraid of you. You're still pretty weak. You should stay a while longer. I can help you. I know you must've been through a lot but —"

"You know nothing about me. You have no idea what I have been through." Raiden snapped at her cutting her off mid sentence, "You couldn't possibly help me."

He was growing more agitated as the minutes ticked by. He started out passive-aggressive with a, "thank you but I don't need help" attitude but he was suddenly acting very hostile. He wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. But something else was telling him to stay. Something in the back of his mind was telling him to walk back into the house and let Ellie help however she could, and that he would regret it if he didn't. He shook his head trying to silence that thought and focus on leaving.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and spun the both of them around so they were in their original positions. He sets her down and turns towards the door again.

"I know more about you than you think."

Raiden's face fell and his shoulders heaved a few times before jerking his head to the side giving the young woman a sideways glare. Suddenly out of nowhere at what seemed like the speed of light, Ellie found herself pinned against the nearest wall with two clawed metal hands squeezing her shoulders. Raiden's face was uncomfortably close to her's as she found herself staring into his one good blue eye. A look of rage flashed across his face as he stared at her intently.

"You don't know me. You don't know anything about me. Don't stand there and pretend that you know who I am or what I've been through."

Ellie gulped audibly, contemplating on what to say next because it could mean the difference between a raging cyborg in her home and a peaceful rest of the morning. She was afraid to speak. She stared into his blue iris and watched as it flashed with so many different emotions. Anger, regret, sadness, even fear.

Ellie took a deep breath, "I do...

I know all about you. You were a child soldier in the 1980s. You earned the names 'Jack the Ripper' 'The White Devil' 'Mr. Lightning Bolt'. You worked with Solid Snake and Otacon and fought against the Patriots. You—"

"Shut up!" He yells.

Ellie's face pales and Raiden's grip on her shoulders tightens. He squeezes his eyes shut and lowers his head not. He didn't want to be reminded of his past. There was a moment of silence again and it was hard to tell whether or not they were too afraid to speak or they just didn't know what to say.

Eventually after what seemed like an eternity the vice grip on her shoulders loosened. Without raising his head Raiden stands perfectly still. He towered over Ellie. The top of her head reached only the middle of his chest. Even with his shoulders slumped and his head hanging forward he was significantly taller than her.

"How do you know these things about me?" He asked.

Ellie cleared her throat before answering.

"I-"

Ellie was cut off by the sound of a car door closing outside the door. The two stood still and placed their attention towards the door and away from each other. Someone had pulled into the driveway. Ellie looked back at Raiden his face now showing nothing but confusion. Ellie wrapped a hand around his metallic wrist bringing his attention back to her.

"You need to hide..." She said.

"Why?"

"Just do it. Go back to the guest room and be quiet."

He eyed at her suspiciously. Not wanting to trust her but also wanting to do as she said. He looked to her small hand constricting around his wrist then back at her then finally to the door. Three hard knocks were heard and the girl's breath hitched. She looked back at the cyborg and stared into his eye.

"Go... You can trust me. I promise."

Raiden stared back at her. Her face were so incredibly hard to read. But a look of concern and fear etched into her features. He released her shoulders fully and turned to the stairs. He gave one last glance at the door before quietly and quickly going up the steps to the second floor. He then disappeared into the guest room he had previously been sleeping in.

Ellie watched him disappear behind the wall. There were more knocks on her front door this time more urgent and much louder than before. Ellie tightened the belt of her robe before shouting a polite "Be right there," at the door.

Up stairs Raiden never entered the guest room but crouched on the floor out of sight and listened carefully. Ellie seemed very uneasy when whoever was here arrived. He heard the front door open and Ellie nervously greet whoever was on the other side.

The sides of his visor clasped over his eyes and he could see through the wall at the colored figure of Ellie. In front of her was an unfamiliar male figure. He sat silently and listened to their conversation.

"Miss. Raines?," a masculine voice said.

"Yes..." Ellie said. Raiden could tell she was trying not to stutter.

"My apologies for interrupting your morning. My name is Agent Stanford. I'm with the FBI. May I please come in?" He asked as he showed her a badge.

"Oh... Um sure. Please come in."

Raiden watched as Ellie stepped aside and allowed the stranger through the door. She led him to her living room where Raiden had a better view. The man certainly looked like an FBI agent. He wore a sharp black suit with black shades even though the sun was barley up and he was indoors. A clear spiral chord led from the man's ear into his pocket. He had short pitch black hair slicked back and wore a stoic, emotionless expression.

"Forgive me Mr... Uh... Stanford? But why are you here? Have I done something wrong?"

 _'Why would Ellie think she's done something wrong?_ Raiden thought.

"No, Miss. Raines, I have just come to ask you a few questions."

This man didn't sound right. He spoke in a tone that Raiden couldn't place but was still troubling to listen to. It seemed almost... inorganic. It made Raiden even more suspicious.

"Oh... Alright then. Can I get you anything?" Ellie asked trying to be as polite as possible to the strange and intimidating agent.

"No thank you, Miss. Raines," the agent said.

Ellie offered the man a seat. She took one opposite of him across the coffee table. Raiden could tell she was trying to subtly place as much space between her and the man as possible.

The man spoke again after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.

"Miss. Raines, you are aware of the presence of cyborgs, correct?" He asked.

Ellie was slightly taken aback by the question but answered anyway.

"Yes I am. They are or were once humans but have metal and robotic enhancements. They are mostly built and used by the military right?"

"That is correct," the agent said interlacing his fingers over his lap, "Now, are you aware of the famous Cyborg Ninja? He goes by the name Raiden."

It was Raiden's turn to be taken aback. His brow arched at the sudden mention of his name. He watched Ellie's face from in between the bars if the railing. She was contemplating what to say. This guy was bad news and both of them knew it.

"Y-yes... I have heard of him. He's made quite a reputation for himself." Ellie said.

The Agent stared at Her from behind his black shades. She was getting more and more anxious with each passing second.

"Miss. Raines, the cyborg ninja was originally a soldier. He disappeared a few years ago and we have been trying to track him down."

"Really?" Ellie said.

"Yes. He will be most useful and safest in the hands of the United States Military. We were curious if you knew anything about him. Where he might be for instance. We need to find him."

Something was terribly wrong. The man continued to stare daggers at Ellie. Raiden hadn't even noticed he was about to crush the railing in his grip. He kept himself hidden in the shadows he wanted to jump down and confront the agent, mostly because he felt Ellie might be endanger. She helped him so he'll help her if she needs it.

"What if he doesn't want to be found?" She asked.

"That is not for him to decide."

Ellie stood from her spot and led the agent back to the foyer. She stood by the door and was about to hold it open for him.

"Well, Mr. Stanford... I am unaware of Raiden's current whereabouts. But I will contact the proper authorities if I find out anything." She said politely.

Ellie reached for the door handle but her wrist was suddenly stopped by the agents hand. Ellie tried to pull her arm away but the agent held it tightly. Ellie continued to thrash and pull but to no avail. She shouted at the agent asking what the hell he was doing and demanded he let her go. But despite putting all her strength into it the agent didn't even budge one inch.

"Miss Raines, we know that you know more about Raiden. We can't have a dangerous cyborg roaming the streets unsupervised. So if you would please come with me"

The agent was suddenly cut off in the middle if pulling Ellie out the door when said cyborg heaved himself over the banister and landed with a loud thud. He stood with a menacing look in his eye as both the Agent and Ellie stared at him. Ellie in disbelief and relief. And the agent kept his stone hard expression.

"She's not going anywhere." He snarled before he charges at the agent.


	4. Miss Fix it

Ellie was able to pull herself away as Agent Stanford braced himself for the oncoming attack. He lifted his arms into the air and blocked Raiden's attack. But he was sent flying through a window into the stormy night. The agent landed on the front lawn lying on his back, face still unfazed.

Raiden and Ellie stared out the shattered glass. Ellie gawked at the scene with her hands clamped over her mouth. Raiden stepped closer to the broken window and stared out at the rainy, gray morning. It was dawn and the sun was beginning to rise but the thick black rain clouds blocked the rays.

Ellie's eyes widened even more when she saw the agent rise from the ground. She stepped back behind Raiden and watched him leap out the window to face the agent again. He landed on the porch looking down at the man and repeating his previous statement.

"She's not going anywhere."

The agent remain silent before placing a finger to his ear and speaking.

"I have located the rouge cybo-"

The agent was cut off by Raiden's metal fist in his jaw. Sending the man's head jerking to the side.

It was now Raiden's turn to gawk. Though his head moved, the man stood his ground and the rest of his body barely moved. Raiden had put all his strength into that punch and only got minimal results. He pulled his fist back and looked at the man with a now clearly dislocated jaw. The agent moved his head back to look at Raiden through a pair of broken shades. The man raised a hand to his face and relocated his broke mandible. And again without showing any emotion whatsoever.

Raiden was so in shock he didn't dodge in time before the agent's fist connected with his metallic jaw sending him flying back. A concerned and shocked yelp was heard from Ellie, who was still standing in the gaping broken window. Rained was sent so far back the back of his head met with the cold hard steps of Ellie's front porch. He turned his head to make sure Ellie was still safe in the house but saw she was gone. He didn't have time to wonder where she went because the man had stalked over to him and grabbed him by his chest and flung him away from the house.

Raiden rose from the ground and gave the agent a death stare. This man wasn't human. At least not fully. He remembered how Senator Armstrong was filled with nanomachines that hardened and defended him from physical trauma, but was still human. That was a possibility but this man seemed more inorganic. His stoic face didn't change even after Raiden landed hit after hit. The man didn't seem to tire either.

The man approached Raiden and lunged for the cyborg's throat. The man showed impossible strength by lifting him up by the neck. He removed his broken shades and revealed a pair of glowing red eyes. Shocked, Raiden swung his legs and kicked the agent in the stomach. The agent released his throat and stumbled back while Raiden took advantage. Throwing his fists at the man's face and swinging his legs to land kicks.

Punch after punch landed on the man's face. Sending his send in all different direction. Raiden moved so fast he could barley see the damage his fists were causing.

The agent fell to his knees and slumped forward his head hanging down. Raiden cautiously stepped towards the man, his fists still raised close to his chest. The man didn't move as he grew closer. The continuous downpour was the only sounds heard. Raiden stopped only a foot or two in front of the agent. He slowly extended a hand toward the slumped man.

Raiden drew his hand back as quickly as possible when the man's head snapped upright suddenly. Raiden reeled back in terror when he saw the man's face. Flesh had been torn and sparks flew in all directions. The man's glowing red eyes stared straight into his soul. He saw nothing but dented, broken metal and twisted, frayed wires. It was almost sickening. What could only be synthetic flesh was falling in ribbons from the agent's face. He had a metallic jaw just like his and the rest of his skull was just a mess of steel and electrical components. He was right... This man wasn't human.

"What the hell are you?!" Raiden shouted.

Without warning the agent pounced on Raiden taking him by surprise.

Raiden was pinned to the ground with the agent weighing down his chest. The agent rendered him motionless and started pounding him into the ground. Raiden tried to fight back but the agent kept his arms pinned as he continued to assault the ninja's face. Raiden's head and torso had been pounded into the ground so hard that he made a hole perfectly sized for his upper body. He wanted to fight back so badly but he was still weak and the continuous blows were taking a toll on him.

After Raiden had been fully subdued the man... Or whatever the hell he was... Tapped the side of his ear again, before speaking into the device.

"The rouge cyborg has been subdued. I am sending coordinates from-" but he never finished.

Raiden looked up and saw a long silver blade sticking out of the agent's chest. Behind him Ellie stood in the rain with an HF blade held tightly in his fists. She want breathing heavily and made eye contact with Raiden before pulling the sword out of the agent. He slumped forward again, twitching as the light in his eyes slowly died. Ellie shoved the robotic body off to the side and held her hand out. She hoisted the Raiden to his feet and they both stared at the dead agent.

"Was that a cyborg?" He asked.

"No... He was clearly never human to begin with. I think he might be an android," Ellie replied.

"Android?"

"Full on robots. They aren't cyborgs because they were never human. They were built from scratch and made to look like humans."

"Is he dead?"

"Yes," she said, "internal damage is what dose them in. Their outsides are nearly indestructible but if damage is taken to their inner mechanisms then they are done for. He should be dead."

Raiden stared at the corpse of the android littering the grass. Ellie was already walking back to the house. She turned to him when she made it to the steps.

"Throw him in the garage, then come inside. If someone were to pass by and see him they'd get suspicious," she said as she opened the door. Raiden threw the heavy robotic body over his shoulder and walked to the open garage door. He carelessly threw the body onto the cement floor. He noticed the walls were covered in hanging tool that would belong to some kind of mechanic or something like that. Drills and wrenches, screw drivers and other high tech tools he couldn't recognize. He reached up and pulled the heavy door down leaving the android in complete darkness.

Raiden entered the house again and saw Ellie in the foyer rubbing a towel against her head. She took notice of his presence and tossed him the spare one she had been holding. She gave him an innocent smile and gestured with her head for him to follow her into the living room.

Ellie sat on her couch still drying her hair. Raiden entered after her but didn't sit he didn't even use the towel she gave him, he just stared at her.

"Okay... I want answers and I want them now," he said.

Ellie removed the now damp towel from her head and laid it in her lap. She looked around awkwardly. She would look at him occasionally but would advert her gaze when they made eye contact.

"About what?" She asked.

Raiden was getting visibly impatient.

"About all of this. About you, how you know about me, why that guy showed up, and whatever the fuck just happened out there." He said pointing in the direction of the brawl that happened not five minutes ago.

Ellie sighed and was about to answer when something caught her attention.

"Raiden, you're hurt," she said.

Raiden looked down at himself. White synthetic blood leaked from various parts of his body he looked at his reflection in the dark widows and saw his face was almost completely mangled. He looked down at his right arm and saw it was close to falling off. He was badly beaten and neither of them even noticed until now. He looked back at Ellie who was already off the couch and approaching him.

"Here sit down," she said trying to drag him by his good arm to the couch.

"No I'm going to break it," he said.

"Well sit on the floor then," she retorted actually sounding annoyed.

Raiden gave in and lowered himself to the floor and leaned against a nearby wall. Ellie crouched beside him and inspected his injuries. She got close to his face and turned his head from side to side in order to search for any other injuries. She took a good long look at his face, touching his metal jaw lightly and gently moving his platinum hair from his face.

Ellie wiped the fake blood away from his wounds with her damp towel. She patted the dented metal gently. Raiden stared at her as she worked on him. She sighed and set her towel down on the floor next to him.

"This is going to be a bit difficult. I'll need my tools."

"Tools?" He asked. But she was already standing and walking away from him.

He sat there waiting for her. His mind went back to the FBI agent he just fought and he cursed himself for being so weak in the fight. But so many questions continued to cloud his mind. Why was somebody after him? What dis they want him for? How did the agent know to show up at Ellie's home? Why did she react that way when he pulled up? How did Ellie fit into all this?

He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Ellie walk back into the living room in her arms were various tools. Much like the ones he saw on the walls of her garage. She dropped to her knees next to him again and laid out the tools beside her. Raiden made a face at the unfamiliar utensils. Ellie picked up a screwdriver and a tool that Raiden didn't recognize.

"Move your head to the side, please," she asked politely.

Raiden did as he was asked and moved his head away from Ellie. Exposing his neck as she began to tinker and poke around. He hissed as he felt something being wiped across a wound on his neck. His instinct was to reach out and crush Ellie's wrist but he fought the urge and let her continue.

"What is that?" He asked not moving his head.

"Sorry, you have a laceration on the side of your neck. It needs to be sealed."

"You still haven't answered any of my questions."

"I know," she said, "I'll answer all of them but first I need to make sure you don't fall apart."

After many many minutes of repairs Raiden was good as new. Ellie had sealed his wound and reattached his arm with impeccable precision. He flexed his arm and moved his wrist and marveled at the craftsmanship.

Ellie sighed and gathered the tools, placing them on the table behind her. She perched her self on the table watching Raiden tentatively as he flexed and examined his arm. Surveying him for anymore damages.

"Alright," he said drawing his attention from his arm to Ellie his eye narrowing, "I want my answers now."

"And answers you shall receive


	5. Answers

"Okay so what do you want to know first?" Ellie asked.

"Who you really are..." Raiden replied.

Ellie sighed and hesitated a bit. Her haze moving to the floor. She crossed and uncrossed her legs uncomfortably like she was thinking of what to say. She gave another sigh before her eyes met his and she answered.

"My full name is Elliet Raines," she began, "For a few years my job has been to design, construct, and repair cyborgs, androids and weaponry for the military. I graduated college when I was 16 and was hired by the military shortly after that."

Ellie seemed a lot like Sunny. Lively, kind, energetic, and apparently a genius. Her knowledge seemed far beyond her years. She was incredibly young, her face full of bright youth. But she wasn't a girl she was a woman a young adult at the very least.

"How old are you?" Raiden asked.

"Twenty one," she replied after slight hesitation.

Raidens eyes widened slightly. His assumption was correct that she was a young adult. She was significantly younger than him. He knew that, though he stopped counting the years after a while. There was really no point.

Raiden shifted his weight going over this new information and asked another question.

"What made you join at such a young age?"

Ellie made a face then answered, "I was born into a military lifestyle. Both my parents were in the special forces. My mother was a spy and my father was a soldier. She was sent to keep him under surveillance and one thing led to another and I came to be."

That sounded familiar...

"They raised me to fight. Dad taught me how to shoot an AK when I was six. I told them I didn't want to be a spy or a soldier and they told me to put my big brain to some good use then." She tapped the side of her head with her index finger, "So that's how I got interested in robotics and military grade technology."

So that answered his question of who Ellie was. Unless of course she was lying.

"That's also when I learned about you. I read your files and did my research. I know about your time as a child soldier, how you've taken down enemies twenty times your size. Its amazing really you're like a comic book hero."

Raiden recognized those words as what Little John said to him when he first met him. He sighed sadly and rubbed his hand through his hair as he processed all this sudden information.

"So you work for the military?" He asked.

"Yep."

"You design cyborgs, parts, and weapons?"

"Yep."

"And you're like a child genius and prodigy?"

"That is correct."

"Is that why you came to me? Because you knew I was? Are you getting anything out of helping me?"

Raiden thought back to when that agent arrived how Ellie told him to hide and stay quiet. And lied about where he was. And how she helped him defeat the android before he could let anyone know he was here. She seemed genuine in her attempts to actually help him. But Raiden was wary. He had been lied to and tricked in the past. The nicest people can turn on you in an instant and the people you think are closest to you will lie to your face, just to fit an agenda. He had been slightly wary of Ellie since the beginning but there was a very trusting quality to her.

She sighed and stared down at her lap for a moment before looking back up at him. "No. I'm not getting anything out of this. In fact I think I'm more at risk now. At first I didn't recognize you, but when I got closer I saw who you were and just wondered why you were out there. You looked sad and lost and I wanted to help. I was curious why you were here considering you have a fa—"

"No... Don't finish that." He said lowering his head to look at the floor.

Ellie's face lowered and she put on an expression of sad understanding, "I'm sorry."

Raiden just shook his head and remained still. The last thing he wanted was to be reminded of his family. How Rose was no longer on this earth and how John was probably having the time of his life at college not having to worry about his metal freak of a father.

"It's... It's fine. I just... It's not something I want to talk about."

"I completely understand."

They both remain quiet at that point. The storm had died down slightly. Leaving the sky a dull gray the sun tried to peak through a bit but it wasn't enough to illuminate the sky. A light shower still engulfed the surrounding land but it wasn't as bad as before.

"So what about... That guy?"

"He was an android. I already explained him. They're more efficient than humans. They are programmed to follow orders without question. And to do what is necessary to achieve their goal. They aren't like cyborgs they were never human. They never had any morality... even the most evil of cyborgs were once human. Still knew right from wrong at least at some point."

Silence engulfed the two once again. The more information Ellie gave the more wary Raiden became.

"And the FBI is after me?"

Ellie looked to the side with a puzzled expression.

"I guess so. That seems to be the case. I don't know why though. Stanford said something about not having a rouge cyborg running around but I don't think I believe him. And I don't know what the FBI wants or plans to do if they get you."

"Maybe its not the FBI. Maybe he was just lying to get in the house."

"That's a possibility. But I guess we'll find out later."

Ellie stood from her seat and stepped towards Raiden. Which in response he took a small step back. Ellie looked him up and down. From his metallic heels to his snowy hair, before landing on his face. She stared at him for a moment before slowly moving her hand closer to his face. When he saw her do this he flinched backwards.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

Ellie drew her hand back quickly, "Sorry, thought I saw another injury its fine though."

Ellie gathered her tools again and left the room. Raiden didn't follow her but listened as he heard a door open and close before silence. He sank to the floor again rubbing at his face and his mind lost in thought. He debated whether or not he should trust Ellie. Would she use him for something? And should he believe anything she says? She said she put herself on the line trying to help him but is that really true? She seems to mean all the things said, and seems very genuine but should she be believed? His mind continued to wander. Going over questions and theories.

"Raiden."

Raiden's head tilted upward at the sound of her voice. She was standing in the opening watching him sit and think over the past hour or so. She was in a fresh set of clothes and her hair was dry from the rain.

"Follow me," she said.

Raiden stood and followed Ellie behind the stairs where the closed off doors were. She pulled a key on a chain from out of her pocket and placed it in the key hole. Upon opening the door the two were met with a metal, descending, spiral stair case. Ellie turned to Raiden and a small smile tugged at her lips. She then started down the metal steps. Raiden followed her closely staying only about one or two steps behind her.

"What's down here?" He asked.

"My home workshop." She said nonchalantly.

They continued in a down the metal stair case. Raiden glanced over the railing at the floor below. They reached the bottom step, Raiden's heels clunking against the cement floor. Ellie reached over to a wall and slammed her hand against a pad of buttons. Soon the room was illuminated by fluorescent lights and a low hum of machinery was heard. Raiden stared in awe at the room before them.

It was huge and spacious. Large and small machines littered the walls and computer monitors took up a huge chunk of the back wall above a long desk. Various tables covered in tools and small machines. In one area, there was a bed like table underneath bright hanging lights. One very large door was off to the side and papers and filing cabinets were everywhere.

"Woah..." Raiden said.

Ellie turned to look at him with a look if pride on her face. She breathed a brief chuckle before walking deeper into the large basement lab.

"Yeah... I take my work pretty seriously," she said.

"I don't think this would be approved by the homeowners association..." He said looking around.

That earned him a full laugh from Ellie. She playfully smacked his shoulder. A quiet 'ping' was heard as her hand hit metal.

"This house belonged to my parents. They gave it to me when I joined the military. And told me to do whatever wanted with the basement. I haven't felt comfortable leaving the house in a while so with work here I don't have to as much."

That sparked yet another question in the cyborg's mind. Where were this girl's parents?

"So why did you bring me down here?" He asked.

Ellie walked to one of the many tables and picked up a pair of big bulky goggle and a what looked like a black smock. She placed the goggles just above her eyebrows and rolled up her sleeves above her elbows. She then slid on a worn pair of black leather gloves and pulled her long hair back into a ponytail.

"With your permission, Raiden, I'd like to give you a few... upgrades," she said with a confident if not smug smirk in his direction.


	6. Check Up

"Thank you for letting me do this," she said.

"No problem... I guess. As long as this doesn't turn into a torture scene."

Ellie laughed innocently at his little joke and pulled a cart of pieces and tools over closer to her.

"Don't worry I'm just going to see if anything needs to be repaired. I doubt you want to randomly fall apart one of these days."

Raiden currently laid horizontal on the bed like table with Ellie standing over him. He gave her permission to give him a once over and see if he needed any repairs or upgrades. He had to admit that he felt weak and old maybe an upgrade or two would do him some good.

"I can tell you haven't had any of you checked out recently," Ellie said pulled her globes further on to her hands.

"I've been on my own for a while," he said blankly while staring at the high dark ceiling.

"Can I ask why you suddenly decided to go off the radar? I mean... I'm just curious."

Raiden's breath hitched in his throat and he completely shut up. The memories of why he made the choices he did came flooding back to him and almost sent him into shock. Ellie quickly realized her mistake and apologized but was only met with a cold metal shoulder. Ellie mentally cursed herself for bringing it up. There goes her chance for finding out anything else about him. He was gone for so long he was bound to remember any information that would help her fix him. Or her chance to learn more about him as a person. Ellie sighed feeling slightly defeated and continued her preparations.

A light was suddenly shown in his face as Ellie brought a light closer to him. Like the kind of lights above a dentist chair or on the side of a scientist's desk with a magnifying glass in the center. He looked up at it and saw Ellie's steely blue eyes looking back at him. Her cheeks swelled in an excited smile. As if she completely forgot the previous awkward exchange.

Raiden remained silent as Ellie picked up one of her many tools. She picked up what looked like a probe and began to poke him in many different places. Mostly around his face, neck, and chest. She knocked on him a couple of times as if she was expecting him to be completely hallow. Raiden just laid back silently as she continued her examinations. He looked at her face as she probed around his chest cavity. Her tongue sticking out as she went deep in thought as she went on. Occasionally pushing up her glasses and scrunching her face in concentration. To say he felt awkward would be an understatement. Feeling her poke around, her face getting uncomfortably close to his, and her hand were all over his torso either to poke at something or just lightly lay her hand on his chest because she had nowhere else to put it.

"Well you aren't broken not from what I can see at least. But some parts have been used too much without a break or not at all. So I can replace them if you want it'll make you stronger and save your energy."

"I really don't care," he said sullenly.

Ellie's face fell slightly but Raiden didn't notice. She turned her focus back to his face and got closer. Staring him in the eye while she pocked at his cheeks and forehead. Raiden tried to pull his head back but has stuck between Ellie's face and the table beneath him. She smiled, slightly amused.

She once again started to poke at his face. This time removing her leather gloves to actually feel his face. Her thin fingers poked his cheeks and his nose, getting a good feel of the skin. She even ran her index finger over his upper lip before moving it down to his metallic jaw. She placed her hand on his cheek and looked deeply into his one eye. Suddenly the light returned and Raiden shut his eye tight. He felt her thumb pull up at his eyebrow forcing his eye open as she examined it

Ellie looked into the deep blue iris and almost completely forgot about what she was doing. She just stood there and stared. In most of the pictures she saw of him his eyes glowed a bloody shade of red. The calming blue she saw now took her by surprise. She knew his eyes were blue but she was still taken slightly aback. She withdrew the light and allowed his eye to slam closed again. Raiden blinked a few times waiting for his vision to return. Colors blurred his sight and he grunted raising a hand to rub at his eye.

"What was that about?" He asked.

"Sorry about that," she replied, "Your skin... It's just so life like. Its hard to tell if it's even real or not."

"To tell you the truth I really don't know anymore," he said.

"You know... I could make more like this," she said poking his cheek again, "I have the materials. I could make you a body that looked and felt more like real skin and flesh."

"Don't burden yourself." He said. Though the idea peaked his interest what if he could feel again like a real human being. Feel clothes hug his body and feel the breeze on his face. That would most definitely be nice. Not having big clunky metal parts sticking out of every surface. Or having metal claws for fingers. To be able to feel another person's touch again.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Ellie's hand on his face again this time moving up towards the top of his head. She ran a hand through his platinum locks then drew her hand away looking at it in a playful disgustingly. She quickly wiped her hand on her leather apron.

"Blech! haven't washed your hair in a while have you?" She asked.

Raiden just grunted in responded.

"I could wash it for you of you want," she suggested.

That did sound appealing to Raiden to have his hair nice and clean. He didn't really take good care of himself when he was on his own. If he still had a body odor he would smell beyond terrible. His flowing bright hair was now stringy and greasy. If it weren't for the permanently fixed super athletic figure his mechanical form forced him to have he would resemble a starving bone thin man.

"Here, I'll wash it for you," Ellie said pulling off her gloves and walking away.

"You don't have to."

"I kinda do. I'm not making any changes to your body if I have to look at that grease pile on top of your head," she insulted playfully, "Especially since I might have to do some work around your face."

He watched her walk over to a sink in the corner and fill a bucket that had been sitting nearby. She then reached above her head to a shelf and pulled down a white plastic bottle and folded rag. Lifting the full bucket by its handle she made her way back over to the table Raiden currently laid on.

"Is this necessary?"

"Not really but it'll make my job a bit more endurable."

Ellie reached down to pulled a small lever and suddenly Raiden's fell back. The sudden support missing. Ellie stood at the head of the table. From his perspective she was upside down and she smiled at his current position. She crouched down in front of him.

"Comfy?" She asked.

"Not really."

She gave a breathy chuckle dipped her hands into the bucket of water and pulled out the rag. She held the dripping cloth above his forehead squeezed it. He felt the warm drops on his synthetic skin as the rolled down his scalp.

"You know... The rest of your armor is pretty dirty too. I could clean and polish it as well if you like."

"Knock yourself out."

...

"There, good as new," Ellie said wiping off one last bit of Raiden's shoulder.

He looked at himself in one of the turned off computer monitors. He did look good as new. His armor shined in the dim lights of the lab and his hair was clean and soft, pushed back like its always been. Even his metal jaw looked brand new.

"Well... Now that your clean... I can start thinking about upgrades."

Raiden didn't say anything and Ellie just went back to cleaning up her surroundings. She walked over to a filing cabinet and pulled out the top drawer. She skimmed through the various folders before pulling out some that were labeled "UPGRADE/ ENHANCEMENT IDEAS". She opened and inspected the contents of the folder before walking over to the table and handing it to Raiden.

"Just... Some ideas. You can look at them and see if there are any you like. I'm going to head upstairs for a bit." She said as she walked towards the spiral staircase, "Oh and... Don't touch anything."

Raiden watched Ellie disappear up the metal steps. He then glanced down at the folder in his hands and flipped through it. It was full of interesting mechanisms and plans for various parts of a cyborg's body. Detachable weaponry, more aerodynamic structures, lighter armor. He looked at the many sketches and summaries about how they worked and what they did. He was impressed. Ellie was not only a mechanical genius but a talented artist as well. Assuming she's the one who drew these.

He flipped to the back of the folder and one thing caught his eye. He pulled out the paper and set the rest of the folder beside him. He looked at the sheet carefully. A full body picture of a cyborg. The face was blank but the body was incredibly detailed. It barley had any armor on save for some spots on the abdomen, arms, and legs. The rest of the diagram body was clad in a slick black covering. It reminded him of the sneaking suit he wore long ago. Raiden's eye scanned the picture again before looking to the side at the words describing the diagram. They read:

"STEALTH AND COMBAT BODY:

OUTER BODY:

Meant for offense, defense, and stealth. Full body covering ("skin") of black bulletproof material (similar to a combination of leather, spandex, and kevlar) with body forming creases along surface for aerodynamic movements. Black coloring allows camouflage at night and in dark places.

Titanium plates long vital parts of the body (chest, stomach ect.) for protection. And on limbs (forearms, legs) to he used for shielding and against attacks. (Retractable blades are a possible future idea)

Overall status for body: similar to a standard sneaking suit. Lightweight and durable. Flexible and strong for combat and convenient and efficient for speed and stealth."

Raiden looked at the page he was holding with intrigue. The idea of having a body like this made him suddenly self conscious of his current body. It was clunky and heavy. Even when covered in a thick trench coat he was still conspicuous. He looked like a lumbering Frankenstein's monster. He had gotten his fair share of comments about his form on the streets. Some even approached him directly and stated their opinions. Most were just insulting comments and obscene observations.

...

 _"What a freak."_

 _"Don't get too close."_

 _"He's not human."_

 _"Look at that ugly jaw he has no lower lip. And what happened to his eye?"_

 _"Tries to help people but ends up destroying half of a city"_

 _"Probably killed more people than he's helped."_

...

It stopped bothering him after a while. Actually it barley ever bothered him. Mostly because the things that others have said were fairly similar to what he already thought about himself. He thought of himself as a monster, a beast. No matter who told him otherwise. Quite frankly it got on some people's nerves from time to time.

Raiden stood from the examination table still clutching the sheet of paper in his clawed fingers. He started through the lab to the spiral staircase Ellie had ascended some minutes ago.

As he went up he could hear her voice,

"Wait... It's really been that long since you've last seen him?"

 _'Who is she talking to?'_ Raiden thought.

He reached the top step and leaned against the door, listening in on her. Yes, it was rude to eavesdrop but Raiden was still skeptical about Ellie. She could be keep no him here for crazy experiments or to turn him into a weapon. He just wanted to be positive she didn't intend to hurt him.

He cracked open the door and peered out the opening. He saw Ellie standing in the living room her back to him and she held a phone up to her ear.

"I already told you I just found him sitting on a park bench in the middle of a storm... Don't give me that... I've had a pretty crazy night and morning so far... Well I was going to tell you as soon as I could. I can't keep something like this from you."

There was a pause before Ellie started speaking again.

"I cleaned him up and he doesn't seem to need any major repairs. I gave him a bunch of upgrades and idea to go through and see if he wants any. Poor guy... Can't imagine what he's been through. Anyway, if he wants the upgrades I'll give them to him and then he can do whatever he wants after that."

Another pause.

Raiden was growing more and more suspicious as the phone call went on. He knew Ellie was referencing him but he had no idea who she was referencing him to. For all he knew she could be talking to an FBI agent and the whole fight last night was a setup. Though it was a possible, Raiden couldn't seem to mark it down as a theory.

"Okay... I'll fix him up, see what he can do, and I'll call you later with an update," she said.

One more pause.

"Okay I'll talk to you later... Bye Sunny."


	7. Returning Emotions

Raiden's eyes widened at the mention of the name. Sunny Emmerich. He hadn't seen her in years. He remembered leaving Blade Wolf with her and when he asked her to distort his codec frequencies before leaving. How did Ellie know her? How long has she known her.

Ellie finally hung up the phone and Raiden quickly descended the stairs as he saw Ellie approaching the door he was currently hiding behind. Her footsteps were drawing nearer as he tried to silently rushed back to his spot in her lab.

How many times was he going to do this? Run away as fast as he could away from the one person helping him? Well in this case he _was_ eavesdropping but still.

He did manage to get back to the table before Ellie saw him and sat there trying his best to look innocent. He saw her walk towards him and she eyes the piece of paper in his hands. Snatching it from his grasp and staring at it she looked at him.

"This will take a while to make. I'll need to see what makes you tick in order to make a compatible body," she said walking over to her desk opposite of him. She laid the paper and rest of the file to the side before flicking on the wall of monitors.

"I said don't burden yourself," Raiden snarled.

"Don't be ridiculous," Ellie replied, "it would be a bigger burden on me _not_ to do it. Don't you want to be stronger? More agile? Plus if you ever decide to leave it would make defending yourself easier."

"You want to make me a whole new body?" Raiden asked dumbfounded.

"I think my life wouldn't be fulfilled if I didn't take this opportunity."

Neither of them said anything after that. Ellie was too preoccupied making 3D digital models of body parts and components. She would occasionally ask for Raiden to come to her so she could examine him. Mostly his arms or his torso. See what he did and what he was made out of inside and out and how his different parts worked. Already not even two hours into this new project of her's and she was already drawing plans and making check lists of materials.

Did this girl not have a day job?

Was this really all she did? Sit in a dark basement and make things she was ordered to make like a one person sweat shop? At least out in the field there was a bit of excitement.

Ellie stood from the creaky computer chair and was suddenly all over the room. Searching through cabinets and crates, pulling out odd looking devices and wrapping stray frayed wires around her hands. With her arms full she walked over to yet another work bench. This one more organized and less cluttered with broke scrap metal. She cleared off what was left on the surface and laid down her findings. The crash of metal on metal filled the silent space.

Ellie flicked on an overhead light and examined the pieces. Clicking some together while completely ignoring others. Her attention was so focused on her at hand task that she didn't notice the cyborg creeping up behind her. Peering over her shoulder with little effort due to their significant height difference. Ellie noticed his presence but gave little mind to it and continued on fiddling with her little toys.

"What are you doing?" Raiden asked.

Ellie held up a combination of the metal prices and piped up.

"I want to see what materials I have. And see if I can make prototypes. My funding can only do so much for my projects. "

"Funding?"

"Like any scientist. I need funding to help with payments. All this tech is expensive. You think I pay for this stuff out of my own pockets?"

Raiden shrugged and stepped back giving Ellie her personal space. He looked around the spacious room. Nothing really to do. He wanted his mind occupied, the last thing he wanted was to remember how he ended up here. The events that led him away from home and everyone he knew. Leading him right to Ellie. Now that he thought about it, he mentally cursed himself for being so weak willed and doing everything she said. "Come home with me I'll give you a place to stay." "Stay here you won't last a few days out there." "Let me look at you and give you some upgrades." Ellie was kind. There was no denying that. But Raiden just... went along with what she said. But there was still this little voice in his head that told him he should be wary and not trust her. But maybe that was just from personal experience.

He had been doing a good job of keeping his wandering mind occupied until he began snooping around Ellie's desk. Sitting next to her keyboard was another thick file with"RAIDEN" written on it in black sharpie. He picked it up, glancing over his shoulder to see Ellie still at one of the many work benches. This must have been what Ellie was talking about when she said she had read about him. It was every bit of information known about him since his childhood. Pictures of him paper clipped to the edges of pages that read about his medical history as well as basic medical information.

He looked at a picture of him from long ago. Back when he was still fully human. The blue sneaking suit on his body and the gun he carried before he learned to use a sword. The next picture was of him but this time in the first artificial body he ever had. The clear visor that rested on his head and the big pointed chin. His lower jaw was fake, covered by a clear, fake bottom lip. Seeing this made him reach up and touch his current jaw. There was no bottom lip there was nothing there besides metal teeth. At least he now had a normal sized chin.

Raiden continued to flip through the file seeing what else was in there about him. He came to a photo that made him stop completely. The picture was of him... With Rose and a young John just sitting together, he was covered in the synthetic skin that made him less conspicuous. It looked like any normal family photo. He lifted it from the file and stared at it. His heart rate spiked and his brow knitted together. He clutched the picture in his fist and the rest of the file fell from his hands. Its contents spilling on to the floor. Raiden now stood there with his head down staring at the picture with pages scattered around his heeled feet.

The sound of the file making impact with the floor caused Ellie to advert her attention from her project and instead focusing it on Raiden. She looked at him stand there completely still and grew worried. She approached him slowly extending her hand nervously to touch his shoulder as if he was a shaking puppy. She gingerly laid her small hand on his shoulder and felt him tense under her touch.

"Raiden...? Are you okay?"

She was met with silence. She walked to his side and looked at what was currently in his hands. Her heart sank a bit as she realized what made him suddenly go comatose. She didn't know what happened to him and his family but she did know it wasn't good and that she shouldn't pry. But she wanted him to be okay.

"Raiden... Hey it's okay," she said softly and comfortingly laying her hand this time on his tricep.

Raiden shook his head slowly, "no... It's not."

His voice was barley above a whisper and Ellie was growing more and more concerned. She wanted to take the picture from him. Get it out of his mind, seeing how it's what was making him act this way. But she knew if she tried he would snap at her or worse.

"Raiden... Why don't you sit down for a bit. You don't look so good," Ellie said calmly.

She gently tugged on his arm and he reluctantly followed. She led him back to the table where he was sitting before and helped him on it. She moved to stand in front of him and looked at his face but his eyes were still glued to the photo in his hands. She didn't say anything more for a moment. Just let him sit and stare at the Polaroid.

Ellie looked at the picture then back at the cyborg.

"Raiden... Would you like me to put that in a safe place for you?" She asked him like you would ask a child. But Raiden nodded and allowed Ellie to take the picture from his grasp.

"I'll go put this somewhere safe, don't you worry," she said. She then walked to the stair case and disappeared again up the stairs.

Raiden sat there, the only sounds around him now were the buzzing of machinery. Other than that an almost eerie silence. His mind was still focused on the picture. His life before everything, before he was a cyborg, before he lost Rose and John. It wasn't ideal or anywhere close to normal but he would do anything to have it back. He would do anything to just go back in tie r and make things right. Maybe Rose would still be around. Maybe John wouldn't hate him. Maybe...

Ellie reappeared at the bottom of the steps and walked over to him.

"Don't worry. It's safe now," she reassured. She awkwardly looked around before crouching down to pick up the stray papers. Raiden raised his head slightly to look at her a bit of guilt setting in as he watched her try to put the papers in order again. He stood from the table and lowered himself to his knees to help her sort out the mess.

"'M sorry," he mumbled with a depressed tone.

Ellie stopped shuffling the papers and looked at him. Her cheeks swelled in a small understanding smile though he didn't smile back.

"It's okay, shouldn't be too hard to figure out."

"No I mean I'm sorry... for everything. Putting you in danger, breaking your house, you putting in extra work to make me a new body-"

"Hush," Ellie said, "You don't have anything to apologize for, Raiden."

Raiden and Ellie continued to sort out papers and photographs clipping them to their respected section of the file. Raiden currently held a stack of pages in his hands and was looking at the dates trying to put them in the correct order. Once done he straightened them out and looked up at Ellie who was putting the file back together. Her eyes met his and she reached for the papers in his hands.

As she pulled the pages from his grasp her fingers brushed against his. His face paled slightly as she pulled her hand away. It wasn't like when she took him by the hand and dragged him to her car it was kinder and gentler than that.

Ellie quickly withdrew her hand and placed the last few pages in the file, then placed it all back on her desk.

"Well... Now that that's taken care of..." Ellie said standing.

"Ellie...?" Raiden asked.

"Hmm?" Ellie responded.

"How do... How do you know Sunny?" He asked.

Ellie leaned against the desk and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So you did hear that. I thought you might've. You should work on sneaking around, Mr. Stealth is my specialty." She said.

Raiden shot her a glare which only made her giggle before she continued.

"I work with Sunny sometimes, we'll occasionally take on projects together to get them done faster. We're about on the same level in intelligence. We got close over the years. She told me a lot about you."

"How long have you known each other?" He asked.

"A few years now. We met when I was sent to help Sunny with something. I don't remember what we've done a lot since then."

"She never once mentioned you," Raiden pointed out suspiciously.

Ellie just shrugged.

"Not a lot of people talk about me. Maybe because not a lot even know me."

"Odd."

"Be honest, Raiden, how many people do you know who you haven't worked with?" she challenged.

Raiden thought it over for a moment. He really never met anyone who he didn't work with. He had never met anyone casually. It was either on or for a mission or it turned out to not be genuine.

"Touché," he said.

"Maybe I should start on your body tomorrow I can take you to my work lab and I'll have more materials. Plus I think for now you should rest. I've invaded your personal space too much as it is," she said.

Ellie began to pick up her work area. Placing metal bits into certain places and sweeping off surfaces. Raiden hadn't left his spot. His mind and heart were still racing and he could do little besides stay there. Ellie walked past him holding a heavy box and scrap metal. She stopped and looked at him her face falling as she looked him up and down. She focused on his distressed face before placing the box down at her feet. She stepped toward him though he didn't look in her direction.

"Raiden...," she started, "I think what you need is rest. Here..."

She walled him back over to the table and began to fiddle with a remote she pulled out of her pocket. The table bent and shifted turning into what looked like a bed. Ellie motioned for Raiden to sit and relax and he did. Settling down in the angled bed. He leaned his back against the bed and let his head roll to his shoulder. His legs relaxed on the inclined section of the table/bed and he felt some of the tension in his body fade away.

Ellie came over to him, closer to his head. She adjusted the headpiece of the back so Raiden's neck would be more comfortable.

"Okay, you get as much rest as you need. I'll be upstairs, just holler if you need anything."

Raiden gave a low grunt as a response and Ellie picked up the box and began towards the spiral stair case. She gave one last look the cyborg before taking the rest if the stairs up.

Raiden let the sides of his visor clamp over his eyes leaving him in the dark. His breath slowed and his body relaxed. Being left alone in the silence caused his mind to wander again. But not for long as he was overcome by sleep and he prayed he wouldn't be awoken from another nightmare.

...

A/N: I'm a bit disappointed with this chapter. I know things will be explained and revealed later on but I feel I just left them hanging. This also feels like a filler chapter to be honest.

Also some things to note:

1: I have read in a different fanfiction that Raiden's face pales instead of blushes because his blood is white.

2: I want the Raiden/Ellie thing to be evenly distributed through the story but not rushed as he is still not over Rose.

3: Sunny will appear later on and become a pivotal character.

Thanks for reading this far and reviews are always welcome. And if something in this story seems like its copied please inform me.


	8. Nightmare

A/N: I'm really sorry for how this chapter was before. That happens a lot and I forgot to check it this time. So please enjoy this new one. Hopefully it makes more sense.

...

Oh how wrong he was. A peaceful rest was not on the agenda.

As Raiden laid on the bed his head was filled with horrible images he didn't want to see. It wasn't uncommon for him. But that didn't make it any less painful and terrifying. People he's killed, friends and loved ones he's lost. It was a barrage of nothing but every grim aspect of his life. He didn't want to watch he didn't want to see any of it. But he couldn't bring himself to wake up.

"S-stop it..." He mumbled in his sleep, "just stop it."

At this point he didn't even know what was really going on. All his brain could register was the flashes of images.

One second he was standing at the peak of a mountain of slashed bloodied bodies. Bodies dismembered by his sword.

The next he was standing ankle deep in a river of red and white blood. With various screams ringing in his ears. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I HAVE A FAMILY. I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD BE LIKE THIS!"

A sudden flash and he was standing at the foot of his wife's death bed, her weak and pale hand shaky as she stretched out to him and gave her final breath.

His son slamming the door in his face. Kicking him out of his life. Screaming at him to get lost. That he never wanted to see him again. That he hated him.

It was just repetition of those things over and over again and it didn't get better as it went on. He didn't numb to it. He didn't get used to them. They just replayed in his mind. Getting worse and worse as they went. Raiden was writhing on the bed fighting at invisible demons that he couldn't reach to kill.

Soon it was all dark. There was nothing, just an empty void. He prayed for something good. For Rose to appear and tell him everything will be okay. He even called out to her spinning in all different directions to further project his voice so she could hear. But he was met with silence.

After minutes of staring into the empty void, footsteps suddenly appeared behind them. He spun around and reached for his blade but his hand came up empty. He had nothing to defend himself with but still held up his clawed fingers at whoever was approaching. He snarled and demanded who or whatever it was to show itself.

"Hello, Raiden," a low, raspy yet familiar voice said.

"Who are you? Show yourself!"

A dark maniacal chuckle filled the space. Which despite the never ending blackness began to feel tight and constricted.

"You know exactly who I am..."

Raiden continued to twirl in a circle trying to locate the sound of the voice. But as it grew nearer he became more and more frantic. Like a caged animal surrounded by screaming spectators. No where to go but frantically trying to find a single source of noise and terminate it.

Suddenly the footsteps stopped and Raiden could feel a dark presence behind him. Upon turning he reeled back in shock.

"Remember me?"

Raiden was staring dead in the face of another Raiden. But with a deeper raspier voice and a glowing red aura. He stepped back from the imposter holding his arms up in defense.

"Come on now, Raiden don't be like that.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Is your metal skull really that thick?" The imposter said with a smirk.

Neither Raiden said anything but continued their stand off. The glowing red cyborg began to circle around Raiden. Using a bloody HF blade as a walking stick. His heels clicked against the non existent ground and the real Raiden never took his gaze off the imposter. He curled his fingers holding his clawed hands outward in defense.

"I've been with you since the beginning," the Fake Raiden started. Still circling in the empty space.

"Back when you were just an innocent little child, thrown into the pit of war. Back when you learned how it felt to feel your enemies blood on your hands. You've tried to get rid of me... Well everyone around you did. But you..."

The Red Raiden raised the sword so it was pointing straight at the real Raiden.

"You knew it was hopeless... In fact... I don't think you ever wanted to get rid of me. You knew who you were. And who you are now. You're a machine. A tool of war. All this bull shit about your sword being a tool of justice. Sam was right you hold it back."

Raiden's eyes widened slightly at the name of his old adversary. The memories of the fights and how he made him question his values and ideals.

"Even when you finally accepted me. You were still too cowardly to truly understand who you were ways meant to be. You still push me back, still try to keep me at bay... But you can't forever."

"Stop..."

"You're family tried to suppress who you are and look where it all ended up. You go on missions to distract yourself, leave everything behind for weeks at a time just to keep yourself from going crazy, leaving your family to feel the bloodshed again just to keep you from what's really going on inside you and look where that got you."

"I said stop..."

"Your wife is dead! Your son hates you! You've isolated what little friends you had! And look at yourself now. Lying, weak, in a dark basement waiting for some girl to come in and fix you... Face it, Raiden... You need me...

I may make you go ballistic... But in reality I am the one thing that keeps you truly sane. The one thing that feels absolutely real in a world of bullshit and lies. I'm the one that keeps you going, I'm the one that keeps your blood pumping, I'm the one that dragged you through the ninth circle of hell and back and all it did was make you stronger! You need me, Jack! I am who you are!"

"STOP IT!"

Raiden lunged at the imposter at full speed. Like a missile with legs. He tackled the other Raiden to the non existent ground. Te sounds of metal banging and fists punching filled the empty void. Raiden was now sitting on top of the doppelgänger pinning him down with his legs as he threw lightning fast punched into the his face. His head rocking from side to side each time his fists made contact. He was punching so hard and so fast that the AR visor was shattered in pieces around the impostor's now probably dented skull. He landed one last hit to the red cyborg's face. Right in the middle. A sickening crack was heard as the metal knuckles connected with his nose.

Raiden, the real Raiden, withdrew his fists and just sat. Motionless besides the quick rise and fall of his shoulders as he panted. There was no movement beneath him. The other cyborg laid still under him. The metal jaw was mangled and dented. Almost unhinging. The face, along with Raiden's hands, were covered in the white blood. It stained his dark armor and it gave off a faint fluorescent glow.

Thinking he rid himself of the demon Raiden stood and faced away from the body. He shook his hands in front of him trying the shake off the sticky white substance. He made a disgusted face and began to step away. The body of the other cyborg continued to lie in a dented mass on the floor behind him.

Raiden walked briskly away trying to put as much space between him and what just happened as possible. Even though he was just walking in an empty void. He was confused and maybe even scared but he would never admit that.

Raiden paid no attention to where he was going. But was a full alert when he heard a crunch underneath his heel. It sounded like bone. He drew his foot back and gawked in horror at what he saw.

Laid at his feet were the bloodied mangled carcasses of his friends, his family, his allies. All with large ugly slash marks across their bodies. It was enough to make him gag. His mind registered the stench and he reeled back clutching his hands over his nose and mouth. He clamped his eye shut unable to look at the horrific scene. He was frozen with shock and almost jumped back when he felt a hand close around his ankle. And he heard a voice.

"J-Ja...ck."

Hesitantly looking down he saw the his wife. Reaching to him from the pile of corpses. Her arms and torso were covered in slash marks and cuts and bruises. Her skin pale and her eyes lifeless. Her short dark hair matted to her head by the dried blood.

Raiden opened his mouth to scream but no noise came out. Not even from the artificial voice box. Like someone had removed it along with his vocal cords. He jumped back landing on his rear still staring at the terrifying sight. He tried to crawl away still facing the pile of corpses. As if it couldn't get any worse he watched as the limp body of his wife began to rise above the other bodies. She stood on two limp legs and almost fell as she took each step closer to him.

What should he do? What could he do?

The dead woman approaching him stopped just barley arms length away from him. She stood still for a few moments. As if to make the terrified cyborg drink in the sight. Suddenly her jaw opened and gurgles and moans escaped her open mouth as she tried to form words. She could only get a few out.

"J-Jack... W-why?... Why did... Y-you... Do... This?"

Raiden continued to sit there gawking.

"Do what... What did I do?" He asked desperately.

The dead woman raised a limp hand to gesture to the slash marks across her abdomen. Where crimson blood, real blood, had stained her clothes. Raiden, though still confused, took the hint and shook his head slowly.

"No... No I didn't do this... I didn't do this."

"Oh but you very much could have," said a familiar raspy voice behind him.

Raiden stood quickly and turned to see the imposter from before with his jaw still broken and his face dented in multiple spots.

"You see Raiden... This is what happens when you push it back too much. It gets backed up and eventually it explodes... you let it ALL out. And sometimes you cant control where or when you let it out and people get hurt. Really badly."

The broken cyborg pointed to the pile of dead bodies and then to his wife who hadn't moved a muscle. Raiden clenched his fists and pushed them into the sides of his head feeling like he was getting a migraine like his head would explode. He shook his head again denying what he was seeing, hearing, and feeling.

"No... No!... Make it stop!"

"Its not going to stop Raiden..."

Raiden faces the other cyborg with rage and hatred in his eyes.

"You did this..." He accused.

"I'm a part if you, Raiden. You're the one who-"

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Raiden lunged at the other cyborg seizing his throat and shaking him violently. Banging his head against the ground.

Faintly another voice entered his mind as the empty world around him began to blur and fade. He was coming to but his hands still gripped something and shook ferociously his eye began to open as the foreign voice became clearer.

"R-Raiden... St-stop... I can't... Breathe."

Raiden's hands released their grip and he fully came back to reality. He sat upright and was shocked yet agin when he saw Elliet crouched on the floor beside the table bed holding her neck and trying to catch her breath. She coughed and sputtered as she braced herself against the edge of where he laid. Raiden sat upright and watched Ellie cough and rub her sore neck. He was frozen not sure what to do as the situation unfolded.

He was afraid to touch her. Thinking he would either hurt her again. Or she would be afraid of him. Either way he didn't want to risk it. He remained still and waited for her to stop sputtering and stand.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Ellie gave one last cough before giving him a small smile. "Yeah I'm alright," she replied.

"I... I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me...?"

Ellie laid a hand on his shoulder and caught his attention.

"It's alright. I understand. You were having a nightmare."

"More like a night terror..."

Ellie removed her hand and looked down, her grin turning sullen.

"I know about the nightmares... And the PTSD. It was in your file," she said almost embarrassed. Like she didn't want to tell him.

"I'm sorry..."

"Like I said I understand. I'm at fault too you were kinda thrashing around. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Guess I got a bit too close." She explained.

"Yeah..."

There was more awkward silence between them as Raiden swung his legs over the edge of the bed and placed his heeled feet on the hard cold floor. He straightened his posture and rolled his shoulders working out any kinks that might've formed in his sleep. He looked at Ellie who still had yet to say a word.

As their gazes met she gave him a lighthearted smile and walked over to him, landing a hard slap on his back which caused him to flinch.

"Alright now that that little episode is over. Let's go!" She said enthusiastically.

Suddenly Raiden's hands were occupied by his dark trench coat. Clean and neatly folded. He gave an inquisitive look at Ellie before unfolding it and slipping it over his shoulders. He fastened the front of the coat. Trying his best to conceal his cybernetic body.

"Where are we going?" He asked. As he followed Ellie to a large door on one of the walls.

Without answering Ellie pushed a button on a panel and the wall opened revealing an elevator. She gestured for him to step in with her. Which he hesitantly did.

After a fairly short ride upwards the two arrived in Ellie's garage. She stepped out and entered the drivers side of her car. Completely ignoring the discarded body of the android FBI agent. Raiden followed suit. Flinching as he passed the mangled robot, on his way to the passenger side.

As they both put on their seat belts Ellie started the car's engine and pulled out of the garage door that had opened a few moments ago.

"So again," Raiden started, "where are we going?"

"My at-work lab... We're gonna get you a new body."


	9. The Base

A/N: hey guys thanks for reading this far. I know my writing isn't that great and neither is my grammar. I've never written fan fiction for a franchise as big, serious, or complex as Metal Gear before.

In regards to the previous chapter, I wrote in the middle if the night so I wasn't at my best and also it was mostly about Raiden having a nightmare about Jack the Ripper. Nightmares don't normally make a lot of sense.

Reviews are always welcome. But please be forgiving. If something doesn't make sense or I got something wrong please let me know and be specific. Thank you.

...

The drive was long and quiet with Ellie occasionally trying to make small talk but failing. She would sometimes get an answer but not much else. Raiden paid little attention to their surroundings. Despite the fact all he did was stare out the window.

Raiden never really knew for certain where he was. When he was out on his own. He never cared to remember where he was. He sometimes remembered what state he was in but not much else. One time he ended up in New Mexico. Another time he considered paying Sunny a visit and hitched all the way to Colorado. But he ended up changing his mind. After that he just headed in random directions.

During his time wandering he recalled what his old foe, Mistral, had said when they met. How after she got revenge on those who killed her family she was left without a purpose. Until she was recruited by Desperado. It made him wonder what was to become of him. If he would be found and used by some private military company or eventually become so old and rusted he would collapse on the spot, or even just spend the rest of his days alone wandering until either him or time itself came to an end.

"Don't dose off on me, now. I don't need you freaking out and strangling me again."

Ellie's voice broke him away from his thoughts. Though he still remained silent. Ellie sighed and turned her attention back to the road.

The sun had fully risen in the sky and all the rain clouds had dispersed. Leaving the earth wet and dewy.

"When I called Sunny, and told her I found you, she was really excited. She always wondered where you went."

Raiden grunted. A wave of guilt washing over him. He left without a word. Never called again. It must of scared her. Leaving her probably thinking something bad had happened to him. She was the closets thing to family she had besides Otacon. He was like a brother to her. And he just up and left without a word. Though he was acting on impulse and pure negative emotion. After what had happened with his family he wasn't really acting rationally.

"What exactly did you tell her?" He asked.

"I just simply told her I found you. She didn't believe me at first. But I described you perfectly and she began demanding details. I left out the part about us being attacked by a robot FBI agent though." Ellie explained, "She wants to see you again."

"I can't see why she would. I expected her to be angry that I left."

"Oh she is. But she's also excited and happy that you were found. I think I might've heard her tear up over the phone."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she misses you. I remember her telling me about you. There was always this admiration when she talked about you. And when you disappear she was heartbroken. She was so worried about you..."

Raiden didn't reply but looked sullenly out the window again. He did want to see her again. Her bright and excited smile and her adorable giggle.

The road ahead continued to stretch out of sight as Ellie sped the car along. She looked over to Raiden then back to the road.

"Can you open the glove compartment and get the ID card that's in there?" She requested.

Raiden obliged and opened the compartment in front of him. He dug through papers and other random objects and pulled out a plastic card attached to a lanyard.

He looked at the pictures on it and took a few glances at Ellie and the card. There were two. One looking forward and the other was a profile.

She looked almost the same. There were a few things different in the picture. Like her hair was lighter and her eyes were wider. Raiden did a double take to Ellie who was still staring straight ahead. Getting a good look at her profile.

Glancing back at the photos he noticed her ears were higher up on her head in the picture than in real life. And her jaw was more curved in the photo as well.

"Those are old pictures," Ellie said grabbing the lanyard and card from the cyborg's hands.

Raiden settled back in his seat and look outside. His eyes widening and his mouth agape.

Ellie slowed the car as they approached an enormous metal gates. Similar to the ones at Solis. They stopped beside a stopping point with a security guard standing watch in it. Ellie rolled down her window before sticking her head and arm out. She showed her ID to the guard who looked back and forth between the two. He tipped his hat and pressed a button activating the metal doors.

Ellie pulled in to the facility and stopped again once the doors were closed behind them.

They were approached by men in matching uniforms as Ellie stepped out of the car. They greeted her with respect as she tossed her car keys to one of them. Raiden stepped out next and walked beside her as her car pulled away.

"Welcome to work," she said enthusiastically.

The facility was large and full if workers going about their business. Some carried large boxes and others drove vehicles often hauling other vehicles. The place was very similar to Solis.

"So what do you do here," Raiden asked.

Ellie grabbed a hold of his wrist and began to drag him along. "Mostly design and construction on military arsenal and vehicles. Tanks, jets, helicopters, missiles, cybernetic technology."

As they walked through the place Raiden was often met with strange looks. Most only did a double take. Other stared for full minutes. He adverted his gaze and focused on Ellie dragging him by the wrist through the facility. She didn't look back at him. And seemed very unbothered by the many stares. As if they were the only two there.

They walked for about five minutes. Passing many buildings and hangers as they went. They arrived at a tall building that seemed to be in the center if the facility. It wasn't much taller than the other structures around it but still quite large.

As they neared the front door, Ellie took out her ID again and placed it against a panel directly next to the door. It scanned the bar code directly under the photographs and made a loud beeping sound. She then placed her palm on the panel and waited as the machine scanned her hand. Another beep, followed by the sound of the door unlocking and sliding open.

There were more people in the building. And the two were met with even more looks. But Ellie once again ignored them and continued to walk through.

"Where are we going again?" He asked.

"My lab."

...

The walk was long but eventually, after passing through many corridors and getting even more unfriendly looks they came to another set of large doors.

Ellie pushed a button on the wall and the doors opened, revealing a large much more organized workshop. Definitely larger than the one she had at home, and had many more big pieces of machinery. It was brighter too. With white walls and floor and bright fluorescent lights all along the ceiling.

"Welcome back, Elliet," a female monotone disembodied voice said.

Raiden in response moved his head all around trying to place a source to the voice. This action caused Ellie to laugh audibly.

"Who said that?" He asked.

"That's Data," Ellie said.

"Data?"

She walked over to a desk with multiple large monitors glowing as she brought then to life. The center screen was blank save for a thin blue line that ran horizontal across it.

"There has been no disturbance of your lab since you left," the voice said. As the voice spoke the blue line on the screen began to pulse, showing the sound waves as they rang through the speakers.

Raiden stood dumbfounded as he watched Ellie approach him again.

"Data is an A.I. I created. She stores all the information I feed her and doubles as an advanced security system. Pretty cool, huh?" Ellie explained.

"Uh... Yeah I guess," Raiden replied bit sure how to react to the situation.

As he said this there was a blinding blue light in his face. The light ran across his body and when it finished, his ears were met with a 'beep'.

"Is this the cyborg that has been the center of your recent research?" Data asked.

"Yes he his... Data, this is Raiden. And we have a new project... We gotta get this guy a new body."

Raiden said nothing. He had no idea how to process the situation. He felt Ellie tug at his wrist again as she led him to an examination table, just like the one in her home.

Ellie left him by the table as she walked. Back over to the desk. He stared at her as she worked. She reminded him of so many things.

Her glasses and brown hair reminded him of Otacon.

Her bubbly personality and high intelligence definitely reminded him of Sunny.

Her eagerness to work up close and personal with cyborgs reminded him of his colleague Doktor.

He hadn't been gone THAT long. And he wondered what's become of his old friends. Of course he know Sunny is well through Ellie. But Otacon, everyone from Maverick. Courtney, Kevin, Borris what were they doing now? Did Maverick shut down after one of their best employees committed a major crime? Were they all still there? What did they think happened to him?

Ellie came over to him with her arms full of supplies and began to do what she did back in her basement. Make parts, draw plans, and measure him. She didn't talk much as she worked but hummed various tunes and even requested Data turn on the radio. Though Raiden wasn't a fan of today's current hits he sat quietly as not to disturb Ellie as she worked.

"You know... I could hook you up to VR if you're really that bored," Ellie said as she examined his arms, "You could do training or we could just make you think you're going on a walk in the park. I could even program some video games in there if you'd like. I understand this must be painfully boring for you."

Raiden's eye widened as he tried to explain that it wasn't boring, though it was a lie. Ellie just laughed as she saw right through it.

"Hey, Ellie?" Raiden asked.

"Hmm?" Ellie replied as she paced through the lab.

"Why does your ID picture look different from how you are now?"

Ellie stopped and pondered his question. "What do you mean?"

"You look different from your pictures. Like your hair is lighter, and your-"

"I told you it was an old picture. That's it. All people change their looks over time." There was a hint of defense in her tone as she went quiet and continued her work. Raiden stayed silent as well as she turned her attention to Data and gave a list a material she needed and how much.

As she finished there was a knock at the large door. Both of them turned their attention to the door as Ellie dropped her notepad on the desk and and walked to answer it. Pressing a button on the door a small holographic screen lit up. Similar to his Codec. She greeted the person on the other end and opened the door.

In stepped a tall, burly man. Clad in military attire from the waist down and a plain white tank top under a dark worn out jacket. Clearly a man of military background. Raiden had seen men like this before all over. Men with experience and authority. They told stories of war and often bragged about their knowledge of military arsenal. The man approached Raiden and bent at the waist to be with him at eye level. Definitely taller than the cyborg even with his heeled feet.

"So this is the tin man you've been so excited about?" the man said in a deep rumbling voice.

"Yup!" Ellie replied in an excited girlish voice that you could mistake for a child's. "Raiden, this is-"

"Lieutenant Roger Hardin! At your service," the man said before Ellie could introduce him. The man held out his right hand for Raiden to shake, which he hesitantly did. It was at this point he realized the hand he was shaking was artificial. Robotic even.

"He's sort of the overseer of the whole base," Ellie called from behind, completely obscured by the man's bear like form, "He makes sure what's made here is working and being managed and used properly."

"That's right! And our Ellie here is the best mind we got!"

Raiden was surprised by the sudden friendliness from a man of his stature and looks. But even with the way he acted he still looked like he could issue discipline when its needed.

"When will he be ready?" Hardin turns and asks Ellie. He asks in a way like Raiden just completely disappeared from the room.

"Um... I'm not sure," Elliet replied, "I need parts and materials. And even then it could take a while."

"Well we need him ready as soon as possible remember?"

Raiden's voice suddenly perked up and cut off the other conversation.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa... Ready for what?"

Ellie and Hardin went quiet. Ellie's body suddenly seemed to almost shrink and her smile turned into a look of sadness and guilt. She rubbed her arm sheepishly and stepped behind the enormous man in front of her to avoid explanation.

"To fight of course!" Hardin replied.

"Fight? Fight for what?" Raiden asked.

Hardin approached the cyborg and laid a massive hand on his shoulder.

"To fight when it's needed. The US has been occupying other countries lately this sparked some problems and fire power got involved. Arsenal is starting to get scarce our weapons can't seem to hold for long. But with you, a living, thinking machine that can take out Metal Gears and UGs we'd be unstoppable and I'll bet the government would pay a hefty price to use you since they're already after you and all."

Raiden stood speechless, eyes wide and mouth agape. His eyes shifted to Ellie as she stood behind them. Still looking guilty. He turned his attention back to the man in front of him. Shocked at how eager he was to sell him off. He grabbed Hardin's wrist and removed his hand from his spiked shoulder. He stepped past him and was not ever two feet away from Elliet. He towered over her but she hung her head and refused to meet his gaze.

There was silence until Raiden broke it again. "You lied to me."

That caused Ellie's head to shoot upright almost hitting her forehead against his metallic jaw. She looked at him and shook her head frantically.

"No no I didn't lie I-"

Raiden didn't even let her finish her sentence before walking away towards the door.

"I should have known..."

With that he disappeared into the hallway.

"Raiden wait!" Ellie called getting ready to chase after him.

Raiden was already down the halls and out the front door of the building now walking through the open space of the facility. He was making his way to the entrance and refused to look back even when he heard frantic footsteps following him.

"Raiden! Wait up!" She called.

He stopped and only turned his head to give her an angry glare. She caught up to him and doubled over catching her breath.

"What do you want now? Take me apart and sell the pieces, and tell me that your just trying to fix me for my own sake?"

Ellie coughed and looked up at him.

"You don't understand, just let me-"

"I don't understand what? The fact that you were just going to use me as a weapon? Like everybody else?"

Ellie stood up straight and looked him straight in the eye.

"You don't ever listen do you?" She asked rhetorically, "I never wanted to be a part of this project. At least not that part. I really did want to fix you. I know you've had an incredibly hard life. I know you were forced to fight against your will. And you shouldn't have to fight for what you don't believe in anymore... You-"

"Hush," Raiden cut her off holding his index finger up.

"Stop interrupting me I-"

"No... Listen," he cut her off again. There was an eerie silence surrounding them.

"I don't hear anything..." Ellie said.

"Exactly, where did everyone go?"

Ellie suddenly realized the quiet as well. She turned all around and found no one else in sight. No other employees or vehicles. They weren't inside for that long and it seemed like the whole facility carried out a silent evacuation. Raiden listened closely before turning his head towards the sky.

"What is it?" Ellie asked in almost a whisper. Raiden once again raised his hand to silence her.

Soon a dull humming noise was heard by both of them from over head. Raiden looked above trying to see anything in the distance over the tall security perimeter. He narrowed his eye as the sound drew nearer. And he realized what it was when in came into sight.

"GET DOWN!" He called out pulling Ellie to the ground and shielding her with his body.

Ellie was wide eyed and confused. But it all changed to fear and panic as she heard as saw machine gun fire all around them. She heard the sharp and fast 'pings' of metal as bullets ricocheted off of the metal plates on Raiden's back. This went on for several minutes neither one stupid enough to move in case a second attack took place.

"W-what was that?!" Elliet stuttered not daring to move a muscle.

Raiden raised his head to the sky and found nothing.

"A helicopter... With a door gunner... Get inside its not safe out here," Raiden ordered.

"But-"

"Go now!"

The dull humming was heard again as Ellie began to run towards the nearest hanger for safety. That's why no one was around, they were anticipating an attack. Why she wasn't made aware of this she didn't know but she chose to focus on getting her self somewhere secure. Though she didn't like the idea of leaving Raiden to fight alone.

Raiden stood in the center of the open space. Waiting for the chopper to fly back over head. It was only now he remembered he was weapon less.

"Shit.."

Oh well though, he had fought worse with less in the past. The idea of fighting something again dragged his mind away from everything else. The anticipation of battle made his cybernetic heart pound and his blood boil in a good way. He got a sadistic look on his face as the chopper flew back into view with the mini gun aimed right at him. He took a stance ready to doge any bullets that came his way. He looked upwards at the person aiming the gun turret.

Raiden's face suddenly went from excited to dumbfounded.

"...Standford?"


	10. Reunion

What the hell?!" Raiden exclaimed as he lunged to evade more bullets. How the hell could he be here. He was laying broken on the floor of Elliet's garage. He jumped again diving even more bullets as he searched for a weapon to help get the chopper down.

"Rouge military cyborg, stand down and surrender!" Stanford ordered from the chopper, about to fire another round.

"Not happening!" He growled. Raiden picked up the item nearest to him. Some thick piece of concrete that had been damaged by the bullets. Not much but he could make it work.

Though is seemed totally juvenile to just hurl rocks towards your enemy, it proved relatively effective. The chunks of rock damaged the helicopter's windshield and he even managed to nail Stanford in the shoulder. Throwing the man off but he regained his balance and began shooting again. Raiden dived for cover behind an abandoned truck as the ping of ricocheting bullets began to abuse the vehicle. As Raiden began to curse himself for not being armed suddenly overhead he heard the familiar sounds of launched missiles follows by minor explosions.

He came out from behind the truck to see the facility's security with heavy artillery and military uniforms. They lined up and began to fire away at the intruder in the sky. The single chopper could get no more shots in as it was bombarded by rockets and bullets. It tried to dodge but was hit to many times and came down. The security team ran out of its way an took cover in case it exploded on impact. It didn't and they approached it cautiously.

Without warning there was a loud high pitched alarm coming from the helicopter. Everyone in the vicinity covered their ears and the deafening sound rendered them helpless. This went on for several moments and everyone was met with silence once again. No one moved not even Raiden. Until everyone flinched when the silence was broken by a familiar mooing sound.

"GEKKOS!" Someone screamed.

Suddenly Gekkos began to leap over the facilities walls one by one there had to be at least twenty. The teams began shooting but it didn't do much good. They charged at the security, many of them leaping out of the way. Everyone who didn't hold a gun took cover somewhere nearby.

Raiden peaked out from behind his hiding place and watched the Gekko tear the place apart. He flinched and nearly swung his arm when he felt a hand on his spiked shoulder.

He swiftly turned his head and saw Ellie crouching down behind him a long narrow bundle occupied the space in her arms.

"I told you to get somewhere safe! What are you doing out here?"

"I couldn't let you fight defenseless," Ellie said.

Raiden glared at the object in her arms as she unwrapped it. An HF blade. Clearly brand new. And looked hand crafted. The girl thrusted it into his hands and say there as he gave it a once over.

"I didn't have much to go on so I hope it helps," she said hinting that she made it herself.

Raiden gazed at his reflection in the blade and looked back at her.

"This'll do just fine." He said as he leaped over the vehicle and into the battle.

Ellie took this time to get away again. Staying as far away as she could for the action knowing it would definitely get her hurt or killed. As she tried to run back towards one of the hangars she couldn't help but take a glance over her shoulder at the robot man hacking and slashing away at his foes. Each Gekko went down one by one, giving a pained mooing sound as they did. Some were split right in half, others had their legs cut off. All by his hands alone. One shot a cable in to his chest in an attempt to grab him but he just took hold of it and flung the metal beast into another. Causing them both to hit the wall in a big crash.

Ellie made it into the hangar she took shelter in earlier and sat patiently listening to the battle just outside. This isn't the first time the base had been attacked. And all the times it was in the past she was told to sit hidden away where she would be safe. Still... It made her feel useless and weak. Like a fragile princess locked away in a castle needing to stay out of danger. She did enjoy fighting as her parents forced the idea on her as a young child. And she had gained many impressive skills but most her life she only used her brain.

Ellie paced around the hangar. Flinching when she heard an explosion or gun fire. She had lost track of time of how long she had been in here. All she could do was pace and hope everyone was alright.

A loud slashing sound was heard followed by the collapse of metal pieces as the large doors were slashed to pieces. In the gaping hole was a slumped over Raiden the HF blade in his hand was missing the top half of its blade. The cyborg man was breathing heavily with more damage done to his body. He looked at the concerned girl before falling to his knees in a heap of exhausted metal.

"Raiden!" Elliet called rushing to his aid, "What happened?"

Raiden rose his head slowly to meet her gaze.

"You wouldn't happen... To have any... Nano-repair paste lying around... Would you?" He said before loosing consciousness.

A low beeping could be heard in Raiden's ears as he opened his eyes. A low groan emitted from his throat as he moved his head.

His vision was a blur of colors and shapes as he tried to hear what was going on around him.

"I told you I didn't want to do that."

"Think of all the people it would help. Think of many people wouldn't have to die. That was our plan all along."

"But he's still a person. He should have a choice in whether he does this or not."

He tuned out the voices as they made his head ache horribly. He let about a another low groan before letting his eyes fall shut. Though we didn't pay much attention he heard the voices die away as the shadow of a figure blocked the light.

The bright light surrounding the outline of the figure have the person an angelic glow. And in his delirious state, Raiden lifted his arm from the table and reached out to them a familiar name leaving his lips...

"Rose..." His voice was barley above a hoarse whisper.

The light died away and the person's features became more and more clear. Raiden's hand continued to reach out eventually laying gently on the person's face. As his vision focused he saw a pair of blue eyes stared down at him from behind thick black frames and a concerned look was painted on their face.

"No... I'm sorry..." Ellie's soft apologetic tone met his ears and he let out a disappointed sigh as his hand fell back to the surface of the table. Turning his head away from the girl on slight embarrassment.

Elliet sighed before straightening up and calling out, "DATA, I need those results ASAP" to the ceiling. She was answered by metallic beeping and a monotone "Yes, Elliet."

"Results... For what...?" Raiden asked his voice still low and rough.

"You've taken a lot of damage within the last few days with barley any time to really recover. There are probably a lot of problems with you're inner mechanisms so I ran some tests to see."

Ellie turned away from the cyborg and walked back to her row of computer monitors.

Raiden tried to lift his head from the table again but let it fall back with a loud thud, he groaned before closing his eyes. His body felt way heavier than normal. This was one of the rare times he wished he was in his civilian body. Even though it was no more human than his combat body, it still weighed much less and at least it looked somewhat human.

"Yeah... There's definitely some internal damage, mostly in your abdominal area. Your electrolyte levels are extremely low and pretty much everything wrong that could be wrong with the inside of your body is wrong."

"Great..." He groaned rolling his head to the side, "Can you just fix me and get it over with."

Ellie stepped back and was silent for a moment.

She as erred her gaze from

him and nervously moved a strand of stray hair behind her ear before speaking.

"Well... It's going to take a lot of work and time and-"

"Great... Just great. So I'm going to be stuck here even longer," he said with hostility in his voice.

"Look, I know you don't like being here or anywhere really, but in your state it would make more sense to just make you a completely new body than trying to fix everything."

Ellie sighed before turning back to her desk and sitting in front of the monitor. Raiden watched her open different Windows before loosing interest and once again turning his head. He listened to his surroundings as he laid stationary. He heard the clicking of Elliet's computer keys, the low humming of large machinery, the quiet clangs and clicks of his inner body. He shut his eyes tightly trying to keep his mind occupied from all his wayward thoughts.

Elliet turned in her desk chair, facing the cyborg whose head was turned away from her. She rested her cheek in her hand, and her elbow on her knee. Her heart aches for him. Knowing all that he's been through and all that he will be through in the future. Knowing that he wandered for so long without a purpose and how many of the people he loved were now gone. All but a very few.

"It will take a while and a lot of effort. But not so much if I have help." She stated.

Elliot was carefully examining the outer parts of Raiden's body. Searching for any metal plates of synthetic muscle fibers that could be salvaged or reused. She already had plans for a new body drawn out and ready to be constructed. But she still had to consult Raiden on how he wanted it done.

"Now when it's built there are two ways we can attach it," she explained while adjusting his thick rimmed glasses, "piece by piece or we can completely remove your head and spine and replace it on the new body. Oh course if you go with the head thing your old body will still be fully intact and possibly reusable. So what do you think?"

"Do whatever you want. You're the mechanic." He said with a breathy, agitated groan.

Ellie couldn't blame him. He had been here for days. Neither of them left the base grounds since the attack. Ellie, who had clearly spent overnights at work before, had a hammock strung up in the corner of her workshop and would spend only a few hours a night there, while Raiden remained horizontal on the table, making irritated and slightly pained groans as time ticked on.

Elliot had repaired parts of his body enough so that he could sit up on his own. But he was still much too damaged to stand or walk without assistance. But he always refused the assistance and more often than not fell down on his face.

Elliot sighed again as she kicked herself away from the table on her wheeled desk chair over to her computers. Suddenly DATA's monotone voice came over the speakers in the workshop startling them both.

"Elliet. You have someone requesting you outside the facility."

Elliot clicked open a security feed window on her monitor and smiled at the screen then requested DATA give them clearance.

"Why are you so happy all of a sudden?" Raiden asked straining to sit upright on the table.

"Someone who's going to help us with your new body." She said till smiling.

Raiden raised an eyebrow as Elliet moved about the workshop. Kicking scattered projects and parts out of her way like a lazy child who doesn't want to really clean their room. She moved boxes and tools, shut cabinets and drawers as she commanded DATA to help her.

Raiden watched as robotic arms descended from the ceiling and tabled and cabinets folded into the walls creating more space. The room, he realized was definitely bigger than he originally thought. Ellie sighed with content and dismissed DATA after telling her to not damage any of the objects she haphazardly pushed out of sight.

Both Raiden and Ellie looked towards the translucent lab doors as they heard a faint yet excited knock. Ellie smile grew even larger like she had revived the greatest gift of her life as she skipped to unlock the large doors. The way the doors were positioned made it difficult for Raiden to see who it was but he could hear the giggling and ecstatic squealing of two young girls.

Elliet hugged the person in the door way welcoming them and asking how they been. Then a familiar, bubbly voice mer Raiden's ears. Making his eyes widen and his mouth fall open slightly. He began to tremble slightly when the visitor stepped into his view and approached him. He couldn't find the ability to speak at the moment or show any emotion other than pure shock. The visitor stepped closer stopping only a few feet from where he sat in the table.

Her arms crossed over her chest and her body went into a relaxed posture as she smirked at the cyborg before her.

"Hey there, stranger," she said.

"Sunny..."

 ** _A/N: I'm sorry for the slow updating but I will try my best to make them more frequent thank you so much for staying for those who did_**


	11. Reunion pt2

"Sunny... Is it really you?" Raiden said softly. As realization and shock washed across his face. He stared at the girl... No... The young woman in front of him is utter disbelief.

"It's been a while, Jack," she said rubbing her shoulder timidly.

Raiden's mind could barley comprehend how she was here. The infant he saved all those years ago, the girl he saw as a little sister all her life... the girl he abandoned when he fled from his own crumbling life. A sudden wave of guilt overcame the cyborg as he dropped his head in shame.

"I'm sorry, Sunny." He said lowly, despair and guilt prominent in his voice.

How long has it been? How long since he'd seen her last? At least years. And he never so much as gave her a call telling her not to worry. She was one of the few people he truly deeply cared about in the world and he just up and left.

Light footsteps approached him. And he was suddenly engulfed in a warm tight embrace. Sunny's hug grew tighter with each passing second as she began to sniffle slightly.

"It's okay, Jack, but I'm glad you're here. I'm glad that I know you're okay."

Dumbfounded, Raiden hesitantly raised his arms and wrapped them around Sunny's shoulders. Holding her tight but not enough to hurt her against his hard metal body. Raiden raised his head and made eye contact with Ellie. Who has been silently watching the exchange. She gave him a smile and a nod of her head.

Sunny let go and pulled away. A bright smile plastered across her face. Before smacking the cyborg man in the back of the head.

"Don't ever just leave like that without saying anything again, you hear me?" She snapped. Her bright smile fading into a scowl as she wagged her index finger in his face.

Raiden raised a hand to rub the back of his head. Though the smack didn't hurt he still humored her. He chuckled and looked back at the young woman.

"I promise, Sunny. Never again. It was stupid and I won't do it again."

"Good," she replied.

Sunny turned and walked to Ellie, who she greeted with a hug.

"So when do we start?" Sunny asked ecstatically.

"As soon as possible," The brunette replied.

Raiden looked at the two.

"Start what?" He asked skeptically.

The two females looked to each other and giggled. Making Raiden all the more suspicious. His puzzled face only fueled their amusement. Ellie walked to a filing cabinet in the opposite side of the workshop and pulled out several long rolled up blueprints. Sunny followed behind her as she placed them on the desk near the table where Raiden sat. He watched as they unrolled the blueprints one at a time. Revealing pictures and sketches of a cyborg body. With detailed summaries of the mechanics of each limb and part.

Ellie turned to face the confused ninja sitting adjacent to them.

"I said we're going to fix you, and we're going to make you better in the process."

Raiden turned is attention towards the blonde as she assisted Elliet.

"Sunny... Do you know this kind of thing..." He asked.

Sunny was brilliant. There was no doubt about that. But Raiden knew her her whole life and has never seen her tackle cybernetics. But then again she designs and builds rocket ships that can send him across the ocean in less than an hour or two. And that was at age 11.

Sunny turned to Raiden and spoke with a happy time in her voice, "Not as much as Ellie but I do know I can help and I'm a fast learner."

Raiden grinned, "oh I know."

Sunny and Raiden just looked at each other. Not really saying anything as there wasn't much to say. At least... In the company of someone else. But Ellie was able to sense the awkwardness that rose. The two were almost like brother and sister and haven't seen each other in what was probably years. There were things they needed to talk about, things that were probably better left to just them. And so Elliet tried to excuse herself from the room.

"Hey, I need to make some calls and order some more shipments of parts. You two stay here, I'm sure you both have a lot of catching up to do."

With that the two blondes were left alone in the workshop. It was a few moments before either one said anything. Raiden still sat broken and exhausted while sunny stood nearby, awkwardly rubbing her arms trying to think of something to say.

"I really missed you, Jack," Sunny said sullenly.

Raiden could only look down at his lap in shame. What he did was absolutely idiotic. He abandoned everyone and everything he knew and ran away from his problems before even considering trying to fix them.

He sighed, air rushing into his prosthetic lungs. He kept his head down as he felt he couldn't look her in the face, he didn't deserve it.

"I missed you too, Sunny. I'm sorry for leaving. It was stupid and cowardly. And I'm just the biggest fucking idiot on the planet..."

"I understand," Sunny said. "I know why you left. It must have been hard. I can't really imagine-"

"You can," he said cutting her off, "we've both lost people we loved. But you kept going and lived on. I just... I ran away... And I've never run away from anything..."

There was even more uncomfortable silence. Sunny adverted her gaze from the cyborg and crossed her arms over her chest. Shifting her weight around uneasily.

"H-how... How is he doing?" Raiden asked.

Sunny knew exactly who "he" was.

"He's doing just fine. I've talked to him a couple times. He says he's made a lot of friends and he's getting good grades. He doing really well and he seems really happy." Sunny explained.

"I see..." He responded, "has he... has he mentioned... Me?"

"Kinda... He's tried to bring it up... But he never really wants to talk about it"

Raiden's weak grip on the table tightened and he lowered his head again. He stayed motionless for quite some time before two arms wrapped around him in a gentle embrace. Sunny rested her chin on Raiden's shoulder. Minding the broken metal spikes that protruded from his armor. Raiden had never felt so weak in his life. Even on the nomad when he was injured and broken and he begged Snake to let him fight at his side. Even when he was lying on the ground pleading at his friends feet. Even then, he didn't as weak and worthless as he did now. Sitting in a strange lab nearly demolished, after he had been disowned by his own and was awaiting to be fixed by someone he still considered barely an acquaintance.

However, in both situations; the nomad years ago and now. He found comfort in Sunny's embrace. Someone that he trusted, someone that he loved. She was there both times he felt the lowest he's ever felt. And no matter how threatening or cold he was she never turned him away. That little ray of sunshine that he almost considered a sister. Raiden raised his heavy metallic arms and wrapped them around Sunny's smaller frame. Pulling her closer. Raiden wasn't one to admit when he needed help or he was hurt or struggling. But in the moment. He knew that Sunny was here. And she would support him through his hardest a times. They were family that's all that mattered.

Both blondes parted from each other when the heat the swoosh of an automatic door opening. Both Sunny and Raiden watched as Ellie entered the lab carrying multiple crates of heavy metal objects. She stopped in her tracks to look at them and smiled as her work goggles slid off her head and fell crookedly over her nose. Earning a light laugh from Sunny, who went to assist her with her load. The two women places the crates on various surfaces and began to rummage around in them.

"It's going to take much longer than expected for the actual new body to be constructed and tested. So for now I say we work on repairing what already here and maybe we can upgrade as we go," Ellie explained before looking over to Raiden, "if that's okay with you. I mean if is your body after all."

Raiden just moved his head to the side and fanned his hand in a dismissive gesture. "I don't care as long as I can still walk and fight."

"Right."

Sunny and Ellie began discussing what should be done and asking DATA for help occasionally. They would bring him suggestions and ask him what he felt was wrong before inspecting him themselves.

Ellie had Raiden lay on his back so she could examine the battle damage that was added to the already preexisting damage. She X-rayed and scanned him. And asked for his input. But to make actual repairs would require a more thorough examination.

"Raiden," Ellie said.

"Yeah," Raiden replied staring at the fluorescent ceiling.

"It would be much easier for me to fix the damages if I could better see what IS damaged because from what I can see most of the damage is... On the inside," the brunette explained.

Raiden's eyes widened and he propped himself up on his elbows to give her a puzzled and surprised expression.

"Do I have permission to open your body and repair the damage? I promise you won't feel a thing. And I'll be able to get the repairs done much faster that way."

Raiden contemplated it for a moment. Should he let this girl open him up like an autopsy? Did he trust her that much? He looked over to Sunny who was currently standing against a work bench watching what was happening. She met his gaze and nodded her head. As if she could understand what his concern was just by locking eyes. He turned his head back to Ellie who was patiently waiting his answer. He nodded his head and Ellie smiled.

"Don't worry Raiden," she said laying a hand gingerly on his shoulder, "I promise you'll be good as new within a week."

She then nearly skipped off out of his sight and the sounds of metal claiming and rummaging filled the space. Raiden returned his gaze to Sunny who was giggling at her friends excitement. Their eyes locked together once agains and Raiden mouthed the worlds "thank you." Though it was difficult with only half his face having skin. Sunny walked over to him and quietly said, "don't thank me. She's the one who's really putting you back together." As she gestured her head in Elliet's direction.

"You should just relax, Jack. She just as good if not better than Docktor." Sunny said with a smile.

Docktor huh?

Raiden let out a breathy chuckle, "we'll see about that," he said. He placed his arm across his face shielding his eyes from the white light directly above him, as he slowly let his synthetic yet sore muscles relax onto the table.

A/N: thank you to everyone who has stayed and hasn't given up on me. I said I would post again and I did. I hope this chapter is to everyone's liking.


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